Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi implemented a restructuring of the Council of Ministers, assuming charge of the Defence portfolio. This involved the induction of 15 new individuals and the exclusion of six. B.R. Bhagat was appointed Minister for External Affairs, while Narasimha Rao moved from Defence to Human Resource Development.
Concurrently, a one-day polling event for the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha took place in Punjab, with an estimated voter turnout between 55 and 60 percent. While polling proceeded peacefully in most areas, isolated incidents of violence resulted in at least one fatality and several injuries.
The Prime Minister’s Office is anticipated to undergo a change in operational style following the appointment of Arun Singh as Minister of State for Defence Research and Development, given his previous influential role as a parliamentary secretary. Additionally, Prime Minister Gandhi announced a reorganization of the All India Congress (I) Committee, adding five new general secretaries—Maragatham Chandrasekhar, Ahmed Patel, Oscar Fernandes, Tarun Gogoi, and Jitendra Prasad—and removing four others.
Source: indianexpress.com