Agatha Sangma becomes the youngest Minister of India

Agatha Sangma, daughter of NCP Leader PA Sangma becomes the youngest member of the Union council of ministers, she took oath yesterday at New Delhi. Sangma’s dogged opposition to Sonia’s foreign origin seemingly melted away, and for once, the two seemed to be on the same page. Agatha, 28, who took her oath in Hindi, faltered twice but continued diligently, drawing approving nods from the greyheads sitting in Ashoka Hall. The last to be sworn in, Agatha asked the secretary to the President to lower the microphone for her before she took oath.

After the swearing in, she signed her name in the register and then went up to the middle of the room bowing her head in the traditional namaste to pay respect to everyone. Her gesture was met with smiles and applause. As Agatha went back to her seat, her new ministerial colleagues shook hands and congratulated her. Congress and NCP have had an uneasy relationship since Sangma, along with Maharashtra strongman Sharad Pawar and Tariq Anwar, split from the Grand Old Party disputing Sonia’s claim to lead the party. Bitter words were exchanged between the two sides with Sangma rubbing the issue of Sonia’s Italian origin which ultimately led to the former Lok Sabha Speaker to be disqualified from the party.