New HRD minister M Pallam Raju received the biggest promotion in Sunday's ministerial reshuffle and the decision may have gone down to the wire before the mantle fell on the Kakinada MP. The choice before the Congress leadership was tough as HRD is a key ministry tasked with delivering big-ticket initiatives like right to education, reform of the school exam system and several scholarship schemes.

 

Given its political profile and an association with students and youth, the HRD ministry was subject to speculation that it could be the right office for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to cut his teeth in government before the leader indicated he is not keen on joining it. Sources said Rahul's decision was taken after considerable deliberation and the argument that he gain experience in government had its obvious allure. However, the Congress leader is understood to have sealed the debate by taking the view that he would not be able to concentrate on party work if he became a minister.

This did not end the dilemma with the portfolio being kept "open" just in case of a rethink. But since there was no change in plans, the search for a new minister became earnest as it was felt senior leader Kapil Sibal should shed HRD and concentrate fully on telecom. The need to infuse fresh thinking in the ministry has been agitating the Congress leadership for a while and Karnataka leader Veerappa Moily was seen as a likely choice.