Perform or perish, Sonia tells Congress ministers

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday virtually put newly inducted party ministers on notice suggesting that they "perform or perish".

"Some of those who are inside can make way for others," Gandhi said after the swearing-in ceremony of ministers at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Gandhi's response was to a question whether the Congress is ruling out any reshuffle and changes in the ministry in future having sworn in most of the members in one go. With today's induction of 59 ministers, the strength of the Union Council of Ministers goes up to 79, just three short of the constitutional cap of 82.

Congress leaders said that Gandhi's message to the newly inducted ministers was "perform or perish". Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had at a recent meeting of the Congress MPs told them that people expected a more efficient government and that "business as usual" will not do.