With the decks being cleared for the proposed reshuffle of the Union council of ministers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi have begun appraisals of ministers and started meeting them individually.
Former home minister Shivraj Patil, who was dropped after the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008, could possibly make a comeback in the Cabinet, it is learnt. Speculation is rife that the Prime Minister could drop some ministers from Maharashtra and Mr Patil, who is now governor of Punjab, could possibly replace one of them.
The Congress high command is also considering nominating Mr Patil to the Rajya Sabha berth which fell vacant when Mr Prithviraj Chavan took over as Maharashtra chief minister. With Assembly elections approaching in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress leadership is
reportedly keen to bring in a new face from the state.
Star Congress MP Raj Babbar could find his way into the government as a minister of state, sources said. Minister of state for steel Beni Prasad Verma, who is lobbying to be upgraded to Cabinet rank, has gone on record saying that the “reshuffle will be done keeping in mind the 2012 UP polls”.
In a bid to consolidate its position in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress leadership is also in talks with Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh, and there is a possibility of a ministerial berth being offered to him.
The forthcoming Assembly polls in Uttarakhand and Punjab could also be factored in while effecting the reshuffle, a senior Congress leader said. AICC spokesman Manish Tewari could also be among the young turks to be inducted into the government.
Among the ministers who might face the axe are Kanti Lal Bhuria, B.K. Handique, Vir Bhadra Singh and M.S. Gill. It is also possible that Mr Singh, a former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, could be appointed the new Himachal PCC chief. DMK leader and textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran, under fire over his role in the telecom scam, is also likely to be dropped.