New Delhi: In what's believed to be the latest in a series of preparations for a Cabinet reshuffle, the Prime Minister has met Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Ahmed Patel this morning.
Changes in the Cabinet are expected by the end of this week. Sources say the Congress is divided on the extent of change. While the PM is keen to see younger faces in his Cabinet, a faction believes that with a stormy Budget session of Parliament weeks away, this is not the time for a big shake-up.
Last evening, the PM met President Pratibha Patil for 45 minutes - they are believed to have discussed changes to the PM's team. Another round of consultation is expected between the PM and Gandhi to finalise changes.
There are some vacancies within the Cabinet - the position of Minister of State for External Affairs, for example, has not been filled since Shashi Tharoor resigned last year over a cricket controversy involving his now-wife, Sunanda Pushkar.
After DMK leader A Raja resigned in November as Telecom Minister over allegations of corruption in the 2G spectrum scam, Kapil Sibal was made Telecom Minister. But the arrangement was seen as a temporary one - Sibal also heads both Science and Technology and the Ministry for Human Resources Development. The Congress has not indicated whether it will hold onto the Telecom Ministry, or allow a new DMK leader to step in.
Balancing its allies will be tricky for the Congress. Ahead of the Cabinet rejig, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party already has a request pending with the Centre for three ministerial berths and had not asked for anymore. (Watch)
"We have no suggestions to make with regards to the cabinet reshuffle. We have not said anything about increasing quota. We know how many seats are there for our MPs. We should get 3 berths and are not asking for a fourth seat," said Pawar.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) is also reported to have indicated that it would lik! e anothe r cabinet position.
The Congress' own Big 4 - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Foreign Minister SM Krishna - are likely to hold onto their current portfolios.
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Changes in the Cabinet are expected by the end of this week. Sources say the Congress is divided on the extent of change. While the PM is keen to see younger faces in his Cabinet, a faction believes that with a stormy Budget session of Parliament weeks away, this is not the time for a big shake-up.
Last evening, the PM met President Pratibha Patil for 45 minutes - they are believed to have discussed changes to the PM's team. Another round of consultation is expected between the PM and Gandhi to finalise changes.
There are some vacancies within the Cabinet - the position of Minister of State for External Affairs, for example, has not been filled since Shashi Tharoor resigned last year over a cricket controversy involving his now-wife, Sunanda Pushkar.
After DMK leader A Raja resigned in November as Telecom Minister over allegations of corruption in the 2G spectrum scam, Kapil Sibal was made Telecom Minister. But the arrangement was seen as a temporary one - Sibal also heads both Science and Technology and the Ministry for Human Resources Development. The Congress has not indicated whether it will hold onto the Telecom Ministry, or allow a new DMK leader to step in.
Balancing its allies will be tricky for the Congress. Ahead of the Cabinet rejig, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said his party already has a request pending with the Centre for three ministerial berths and had not asked for anymore. (Watch)
"We have no suggestions to make with regards to the cabinet reshuffle. We have not said anything about increasing quota. We know how many seats are there for our MPs. We should get 3 berths and are not asking for a fourth seat," said Pawar.
Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress (TMC) is also reported to have indicated that it would lik! e anothe r cabinet position.
The Congress' own Big 4 - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Foreign Minister SM Krishna - are likely to hold onto their current portfolios.
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