The chief troubleshooter and the most trusted lieutenant of the Congress party leadership, Pranab Mukherjee is by far the most respected leader in the Parliament. He played a central role in the implementation of Indo-US Civilian Nuclear agreement. He moves from An old Congress hand, Pranab has been Finance Minister in Indira Gandhi's Cabinet between 1982-84 and has held that position with distinction. His proximity to the Gandhi family has given rise to this saying that Pranab can have any ministry he wants, barring the PM's post. And this in a nutshell summarises his fate, always a lieutenant, never the boss.

With the UPA back in power, P Chidambaram returns to serve a second term as the home minister. Chidambaram's pro-reform outlook at the finance ministry and his competent handling of the home portfolio after the 26/11 attack has earned him praise even from the Opposition. A trade union activist in his early years, Chidambaram later became the minister of state during Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao's era and is credited for ushering in full market reforms and liberalisation.

A K Anthony has been reinstated as the defence minister. Widely appreciated for having done a good job in his first stint, the Rajya Sabha member from Kerala has to pick up from where he left off. The primary task for the minister now would be to enhance the coastal security network in the light of the 26/11 attacks. Anthony has been the chief minister of Kerala thrice and was elected as the youngest CM in 1977. He has also served as the minister for consumer affairs and public distribution.

Kapil Sibal has finally got a ministry he wanted and the general perception is that he is the best man in the current set up for this job. An eminent lawyer by profession, Sibal was the Additional Solicitor General of India from 1989 to 1990. Sibal also represented India at the World Economic Forum in 2005 and 2009 held at Davos, Switzerland.

As he prepares to take over the crucial ministry, SM Krishna, the 77-year-old suave western-educated leader, has immediate challenges waiting in the form of dealing with neighbourhood problems, particularly Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, and push for strengthening bilateral ties to ensure peace and stability in the subcontinent. Krishna returns to Union Cabinet after 14 years. He was minister of state for finance in 1984-85, before which he had held the post of minister of state for industry during 1983-84.

After vying for the PM's post prior to Lok Sabha elections, a much-mellowed Sharad Pawar is now lending unconditional support to the Manmohan Singh-led govt. Instrumental in INC-NCP sweep of the six seats in Mumbai, Serving his second term in the UPA government, Pawar must give attention to lowering food prices in the country keeping in mind the dip in the global food prices. It is likely that the long-standing debate on expanding futures trade in commodities would get more attention.

Mamata Banerjee's second term at the Rail Bhawan is going to be vastly different from the priorities that occupied her the first time around. Lalu Prasad held passenger fares constant for successive years, so there is no other way for her but to develop new efficiency parameters to show her mettle. On the investment front, the railways needs to fast-track the implementation of the dedicated freight corridor, progress on which is lying virtually standstill for the last four years.

Widely tipped to get the HRD ministry this time around, the ex-Karnataka CM got the Law and Justice portfolio. He was first person to become Karnataka CM from the undivided South Canara district (now split into Dakshina Kannada and Udupi). He was appointed as Chairman of Second Administrative Reform Commission of India and was also the President of the Media Wing of the Congress and its head spokesperson. However, just before the general elections, when he tried to attack another Congress leader, he was relinquished from both the posts.

Murli Deora, like most other Cong ministers, retains his Cabinet portfolio as the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. After having relinquished his Lok Sabha constituency to his son Milind Deora, he is now part of the Rajya Sabha. His role in keeping a tab on the fuel prices despite the global inflation and price rise has been appreciated by the PM and helped him to get back this portfolio.

A Rajya Sabha MP from Himachal Pradesh, Anand Sharma was MoS for External Affairs in the previous UPA government, and his good work has earned him a ‘promotion' to an important portfolio like Commerce and Industry. A suave operator he has held many important posts in the past and his role as the Commerce minister will always be under the lens during the round of WTO negotiations.

Was heading the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the incumbents government, Kamal Nath has now been entrusted with the key Surface Transport and Highways portfolio. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 and has served as MoS for the Environment and Forests (Independent Charge) and as MoS for Textiles (Independent Charge) in the past. Kamal Nath played a key role during the WTO negotiations as India’s Commerce minister.

The 'crisis manager' of Cong, Ghulam Nabi Azad was recently in action to mollify an agitated Karunanidhi. These ‘organiational skills' made him a good candidate for the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio in the previous Govt. Known to be close to Gandhi family, he has been the AICC general secretary for a record nine times and member of the powerful Congress Working Committee for 18 years. Has been given the charge of Health and Family Welfare ministry, a key infrastructure post, that will play role in Congress' pitch to voters in the times to come.

An abrupt move from Ministry of Tourism and Culture to the I&B portfolio might not have been foreseen, but then proximity to the first family of the Cong party always helps. Soni was involved in quite a few faux pas in her previous as she claimed that industrialist Vijay Mallya participated in the auction for Mahatma Gandhi's personal items at the behest of the Govt, a claim refuted by Mallya. Having bagged an important portfolio, Soni will be expected to deliver the goods in an efficient manner.

The elder son of DMK chief and Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi, once a rank outsider in politics, has risen in stature in his party in the past couple of years. Earlier, he did not have any formal responsibility nor did he come to the forefront. But after three by-elections in and around Madurai region since 2006 — all won by DMK and allies — and the recent developments in the ruling family have led to his emergence. This election, the DMK and allies just lost one seat from the region, increasing the demand in the party to reward him with a Cabinet post in Delhi.

The burly Kharge is a Dalit leader who has never lost a major election in his life. A nine-time member of the Karnataka Assembly from the impoverished Gulbarga district, Kharge contested his first Parliament election this time to register his 10th straight victory. His elevation to national politics — as a cabinet minister — is being seen as an effort to bring in new leadership for the Congress in Karnataka. Kharge is considered a competent leader with a clean public image and well versed in the dynamics of politics, legislation and administration.

The Maharashtra strong-man is one of the prominent Dalit face in the UPA Cabinet. A Rajya Sabha member from Maharashtra, Shinde retains his portfolio of Power in Team Manmohan. Born into a very poor Hindu family, he was the first backward caste person to have become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Shinde has studied law and is known to be close to Sharad Pawar despite the party differences. In 2002, he contested the election for the post of Vice-President of India against the National Democratic Alliance's candidate Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and lost.

One of the most articulate members in the UPA Cabinet, Jaipal Reddy holds a Masters degree in English literature and whenever he speaks, it shows. This explains the fact that he has acted as the spokesman for all the parties of which he has been a member and was awarded the Outstanding Parliamentarian Award in 1998. Reddy retains his portfolio as the Urban development minister, a surprise considering the flak he received while presiding over the sealing drive in Delhi.

Vayalar Ravi retains his Cabinet portfolio of Overseas Indian Affairs. Known to be close to Rahul Gandhi, Ravi was known for his organisational skills and was the founder President of the Kerala Students' Union (KSU), the group that helped Cong found its feet in the left bastion. Has been a Rajya Sabha member twice.

Bijoy Kanta Handique has been elevated to a Cabinet berth and now hold the important portfolio for Mines. Also as the minister if North East, he'll be expected to strengthen Congress party's hold in the region, especially in his home state of Assam, where the Cong seems to be lagging behind the BJP-AGP combine.

Son of Late Murasoli Maran and the grandnephew of DMK president M Karunanidhi, Dayanidhi Maran was chosen as the Union Minister for Communications and IT in previous UPA regime and did exceptionally well in that role till he fell out with party boss. Since then he has made up with his granduncle and his proximity to the Cong leadership has again got him in the UPA Cabinet, albeit with a different portfolio.

Rajasthan PCC chief lost the Assembly polls from Nathdwara seat by an unfortunate margin of 1 vote but his role in ensuring a Cong win in the state assembly election marked him out for bigger things and after winning in the Lok Sabha polls he has been rewarded with a Cabinet berth. Joshi is close to Rahul Gandhi and his political acumen one of the biggest reasons for Congress' revival in the state.

One has to accommodate allies and someone as senior as Farooq Abdullah will have to given a Cabinet berth, hence you see Farooq Abdullah as the Cabinet minister for renewable energy. Known more as the head of the family of J&K's first family, Farooq has served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on multiple occasions.

Son of late G K Moopanar, G K Vasan has been assigned as the Union Minister of Shipping . Vasan was a greenhorn in the Tamil Manila Congress, which was formed by his father in 1996 with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazhagam. 42 year old Vasan was elected to Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu after his party merged with Congress. Vasan was appointed as the working resident of the state unit of the party first, he later made it to the Upper House. Vasan is said to have helped his father when Tamil Manila Congress was formed.

Mukul B. Wasnik is the son of veteran congress leader and three-time MP, Bal Krsihna Wasnik. Earlier, Wasnik was a minister of sports and youth affairs in the P.V Narsimha Rao ministry from 1991 to 1996. Wasnik represented Buldhana, Maharastra earlier but stood from Ramtek constituency this year. A president of NSUI and also of the Youth Congress during the Rajin Gandhi years, Wasnik is among the three former IYC chiefs who have made it to the ministry.

Pawan Kumar Bansal has won the Chandigarh seat for the fourth time and held the position of Minister of state of finance and was member of various Parliamentary Committees including the famous Cash for Query Committee, which was formed after a sting operation showing parliamentarians accepting money in camera for asking questions in Parliament.

Dr M.S. Gill, is a Member of the Parliament representing Punjab in the Rajya Sabha. A former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gill was appointed as the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports), replacing Mani Shankar Aiyar in 2008.

A trained lawyer, Subodh Kant Sahay was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha in 1989. He served as the Union Minister of State for Home from April 1990 to Nov 1990 and MoS for Information and Broadcasting till June 1991. He was re-elected to the 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 and became the Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries with independent charge.

A former Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Virbhadra Singh was included in the Cabinet by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the second round of Cabinet expansion. Singh was elected to Lok Sabha in 1962, 1967, 1972 and in 1980. He was the Union Minister of State for Tourism & Civil Aviation from December 1976 to March 1977 and Minister of State for Industries from 1982 to April 1983. He was the Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly from March 1998 to March 2003.

She is the daughter of Late Chaudhury Dalbir Singh and one of the major Dalit leaders of the Congress from Haryana. She was Union Minister of State for Education and Culture in the Narasimha Rao's government and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 despite the Congress loss. She was Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in 2004 Manmohan Singh-led UPA government.

A two time chief minister of Maharashtra, he was removed following the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai. It was seen as a wipe off and it was predicted that he might fade out by being given a governor's assignment. But surprising all he was given a cabinet berth and in the entire cabinet he is the only minister who is neither a Lok Sabha nor a Rajya Sabha member. However, he may be nominated for the upper house soon.

He was Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the previous UPA government. He became an MP for the first time in 1998 from Jhabua where he had started his political career as District President, Congress Seva Dal in 1976. He was elected to the Parliament in 1999 and 2004. He won the recently concluded general elections from Ratlam post-delimitation.

A Raja had replaced Dayanidhi Maran as the Cabinet Minister, Communication and IT in 2007 in the previous UPA govt. Raja represents the Nilgiris constituency and has surfaced as one of the prominent dalit faces of the DMK. He was first elected into the Lok Sabha in 1996, then again in 1999. He was the MoS for Rural Development till Sept 2000 and MoS (Health and Family Welfare) from Sept 2000 to Dec 2003. He has also published a book “An Autobiography of Democracy� Oru Suyasarithai — Collection of Tamil poems.