Must reduce average age of people in power: PM

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today indicated the possibility of inducting more young leaders in his Council of Ministers but refused to spell out when the much talked-about reshuffle would take place.

"I do share the thoughts that we must introduce (young leaders)...we must reduce the average age of people in power. That we should bring more younger people into our system of governance," Singh said while replying to a question on Cabinet reshuffle asked at the HT Leadership Summit here.

He, however, refused to say when the reshuffle will take place.

"Well I think I am not able to tell you what I am going to do by way of a Cabinet reshuffle. When that happens, I think you all will come to know about it," he said.

The Prime Minister's comments assume significance in the backdrop of anticipation of a resuffle.

While Minister of state in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan has become Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Telecom Minister A Raja had to resign following the conteroversy over the 2G spectrum allocation in his tenure.

HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has been given the additional charge of the Ministries of Telecom and IT as also Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, portfolios which were held by Raja and Chavan.

Prior to this, Minister of state for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor had to go in April this year over the IPL controversy, taking the total number of vacancies to three.