Cabinet reshuffle likely on Sunday

New Delhi, October 24: A UPA cabinet reshuffle, anticipated for months now, might finally take place on Sunday, October 28. Among the changes expected is that ministers who currently hold additional charge of portfolios are likely to give those up, sources said.

The sources said a Sunday reshuffle was also likley to effect other changes like Tariq Anwar of the Nationalist Congress Party replacing Agatha Sangma as a minister. Ms Sangma's father, Purno Sangma, a founding member of the NCP, fell foul of party chief Sharad Pawar and other leaders when he contested the Presidential elections against the official UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, who is now India's President. Mr Sangma, whose candidature was backed by opposition parties, quit the NCP in July.

Then, with Mamata Banerjee having marched out of the UPA coalition last month, three or four Congressmen from West Bengal might be inducted into the cabinet to ensure adequate representation from that state; Ms Banerjee had six ministers in the Cabinet. Among the names doing the rounds is that of Deepa Dasmunshi, whose husband, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, a prominent Congressman and minister, suffered a paralytic stroke some years ago. A Maharashtra leader is also likely to be inducted to fill a slot for the state left vacant by the death of Congressman Vilasrao Deskhmukh in August this year.

There are also berths vacated by DMK representatives A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran in the last two years after charges against them in the 2G spectrum allocation scam. However, DMK President M Karunanidhi has recently made clear that his party will not like to reclaim their lost berths.

While the government is yet to confirm that such a reshuffle will take place this weekend, there have been several high-level meetings suggesting a build-up to it. Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have held separate meetings with President Pranab Mukherjee last week and senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too met the President and the Prime Minister a day after those meetings. Sources close to Mr Gandhi insist that his meetings were not linked to the expected reshuffle, but there has been much speculation about whether Mr Gandhi will accede to the demand of partymen that he play a larger role. Rahul Gandhi is currently a Congress General Secretary.

Party spokesman Sandeep Dikshit had nothing new to add to many statements made by many Congress leaders in the past few months. "The party and Rahul will decide", was all he would say on Monday when asked if Mr Gandhi will finally join the Manmohan Singh government. The Prime Minister has said he has repeatedly invited Rahuk Gandhi to join his Cabinet.

Mr Dikshit was also non-committal on when a Cabinet reshuffle could be expected. "It is purely the prerogative of the Prime Minister", he said, adding that the PM would decide in cconsultation with Sonia Gandhi, who is also the UPA Chairperson.