ISLAMABAD - In the second phase of Cabinet expansion some 22 Federal and 18 State Ministers were sworn in on Monday soaring the strength of the Federal Cabinet to 55. Muttahida Qoumi Movement (MQM) could not become part of the Federal Cabinet as their demands regarding the share and portfolios were not met and at the eleventh hour they decided to stay away from the whole exercise. Soon after the induction of the new ministers the MQM leaders came up with the statement that they had extended unconditional support to the PPP-led coalition government and they would continue it in future as well. The brother of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Attaur Rehman also failed to make it to the Federal Cabinet in this phase but there was a strong likelihood that he would be made member of the Cabinet soon. Including the strength of five advisors, allowed to Premier under the constitution, the strength of the Cabinet surged up to 60 making it the third biggest Cabinet in the country's history. There is a strong likelihood that besides induction of JUI(F) man in the Cabinet, MQM would also be made part of the Cabinet at a later stage and the Cabinet size could swell up to the figure of 70. After the induction of two advisors to the Premier Gilani - Mian Manzoor Wattoo and Hamid Saeed Kazami - as Ministers, the Prime Minister could induct another two advisors with the status of Ministers for him and he had inducted Dr Shahid Masood as Advisor on Political Affairs soon after the oath-taking ceremony. Oath-taking ceremony was arranged at Aiwan-e-Sadr, which was attended by PM Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, government functionaries and military leadership. President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to 22 new Federal Ministers and 18 State Ministers. New Federal Ministers and their portfolios are Makhdoom Amin Fahim Senior Minister with portfolio of Trade and Commerce, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo Industry and Production, Dr Babar Awan Parliamentary Affairs, Firdous Ashiq Awan Population Welfare, Rana Muhammad Farooq, Saeed Khan, Samina Khalid Ghurki Social Welfare and Special Education, Shahbaz Bhatti Minorities Affairs, Syed Mumtaz Gilani, Raza Rabbani Inter-Provincial Coordination, Pir Aftab Shah Jillani, Shahabuddin Planning and Development, Ejaz Jhakhrani Health, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani Education, Shahid Hussain Bhutto, Dr Aftab Aalimgir Khan, Israr Ullah Zahri, Waqar Ahmad Khan, Abdul Razzaq Thaheem Local Bodies, Qayyum Jatoi Defence Production, Noor ul Haq Qadri, Lal Muhammad Khan Frontier Affairs and Hamid Saeed Kazmi Religious Affairs. The State Ministers who took oath included Mehreen Anwar Raja Parliamentary Affairs, Muhammad Afzal Sindhu, Ghulam Farid Kathia, Rafiq Ahmad Jamali Food, Arbab Muhammad Zahid, Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Ayatollah Durrani, Abdul Rafiq, Nabeel Gabol Port and Shipping, Shagufta Jamani, Hina Rabbani Khar Finance and Economic Affairs, Sardar Salim Haider, Nawabzada Malik Muhammad Hamad Foreign Affairs, Tasneem Ahmad Qureshi Interior, Masood Abbas Science and Technology, Syed Samsam Ali Shah Bukhari Infromation, Muhammad Tariq Anees Housing and Mohammad Jam Mangio. Later at night the President hosted a dinner for the newly inducted Ministers at the Awan-i-Sadr which was largely attended by the Parliamentarians, high civil and military officials and elite of the town. According to an estimate the present strength of the Cabinet comprised 20 per cent of the total strength of the National Assembly and there was strong likelihood that it would swell further and besides induction of JUI(F) Minister the PPP government would definitely take MQM on board and they would at least be doled out five to six berths in the Cabinet scaling the numerical strength of the Cabinet up to 70 plus.