YQ not to rise substantially

NEW DELHI: Expectations of a high youth quotient (YQ) in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet apart, the GenNext of the party is unlikely to substantially increase its share of ministerial berths. For the time being, Sachin Pilot appears to be the only sure new entry. He would be joining the GenNext faces in the outgoing council of ministers ��� Jyotiraditya Scindia and Jitin Prasada.

Though also part of the GenNext brigade and now two-time MPs, Sandeep Dikshit and Deepender Hooda, will have to sit it out. Being sons of serving chief ministers, Shiela Dikshit and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, they will not be considered for ministerial positions. Milind Deora too may not be considered as his father Murli Deora is likely to be in the Cabinet. Rahul Gandhi, who has emerged as the youth icon of the Congress, has chosen to continue with the party, eschewing a ministerial position.

The party is not considering inducting any first-time MPs into the government. The Congress has a whole cache of young MPs: Ashok Tanwar, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, Deepender Hooda, Naveen Jindal, Shruti Chaudhary, Mausam Noor, Meenakshi Natarajan, Hamidullah Sayeed. As many as 11 office bearers of the Youth Congress were given tickets for the Lok Sabha elections and of these eight have won.