MANALI/NEW DELHI, 19 May 2003 — Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said yesterday he would reshuffle his Cabinet and induct new members shortly.
“Those ministers with heavy work load will be relieved of some burden, some new ministers will be appointed,” he said but did not say when the changes would take place.
Mamata Banerjee, leader of the regional Trinamool Congress, might return to the Cabinet after a gap of two years, Vajpayee told reporters at the end of his six-day holiday in the scenic state of Himachal Pradesh, without giving details.
Banerjee heads a regional party of the eastern state of West Bengal, which has been ruled by a Marxist government for over two decades. Her induction into the Cabinet could strengthen the ruling coalition.
Vajpayee’s last reshuffle was in January. Several key states are due for polls this year while elections for the federal government are scheduled for 2004.
Media reports suggested the reshuffle could come May 24 or 25.
The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency, quoting unidentified sources, said Friday the premier was not planning to reduce the number of ministers in his Cabinet.
The strength of the Cabinet at present is 77 with 30 holding Cabinet rank and 47 junior ministers. Vajpayee last reshuffled his Cabinet in January.
Reports said some of those whose portfolios could be changed were Health Minister Sushma Swaraj, also in charge of the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Law Minister Arun Jaitley, who also looks after commerce, and Arun Shourie, who heads the telecom and privatization ministries.
The new faces in the Cabinet could include former Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, reports said.
Asked whether anyone from Himachal Pradesh would be taken into his Cabinet, Vajpayee said: “I will not reveal everything right now.” But there has been media speculation that former minister from the state Shanta Kumar could come back into the government.
Vajpayee also ruled out the possibility of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh rejoining the Bharatiya Janata Party. There have been media reports that in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls, Singh may be brought back to the party fold to attract the other backward caste vote bank.
