The Hindu Business Line : <I>Unexpected choice </I>

The choice of A. K. Antony as the new Defence Minister took the media by surprise as his name did not figure in any of the permutations and combinations chalked up ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle. The name in contention was that of Shivraj Patil, who was to move from Home, and his likely replacement was to be Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. Not many could see Antony, with his low-profile image, landing up in Defence where the Minister has to constantly fight arms' dealers and other sundry agents.

A veteran scribe recalled an old incident relating to the time when Antony was being considered for the chief ministership of Kerala. One of his well-wishers was pushing his case by pointing out that Antony was honest, truthful, loyal and did not smoke or drink to which the Congress High Command apparently representative retorted: "I am looking for a chief minister, not a son-in-law!" Antony did make it, not only to the Kerala chief ministership but to the Union Cabinet a number of times and is considered as one of the honest politicians in the country.

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