NEW DELHI, 6 June 2005 — With President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam returning from his four-nation trip, all eyes are on the much-awaited Cabinet expansion that is expected this week.
After a year in office, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to use the coming expansion of his council of ministers to shift some of the existing ministers to party posts to strengthen the organization and give representation from states where they lack presence in the government.
There is every possibility of reallocation of portfolios in major ministries such as home, finance and human resources development.
More representation from the poll-bound states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala is expected while Shibu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, out in the cold after the assembly elections, is likely to be rehabilitated.
Besides, speculation is high that some of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) constituents will be moved around while “non-performing” ministers will be dropped according to well-placed government and party sources.
Among those who are likely to be inducted in the Cabinet are Satish Sharma, tipped to get the newly formed Ministry of Information, Communications and Electronics (ICT), young MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Kerala Chief Minister A. K. Anthony, Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal and Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan.
Information and Broadcasting Minister S. Jaipal Reddy is likely to be shifted to the party while Communications and Information Technology minister Dayanidhi Maran is expected to get the crucial power portfolio replacing P.M. Sayeed.
There have been several complaints against Maran’s handling of the telecommunication ministry because of the conflict of interests with the family-owned Sun TV, whose major stake-holder is his brother, Kalanidhi Maran.
A section of the Congress wants Home Minister Shivraj Patil to be shifted as the deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission so that a more hands on person can govern the ministry. Patil has come under fire for his handling of sensitive issues.
In the running for the key Home Ministry is Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is viewed among the UPA as a hands on minister.
Speculation is also rife that Montek Singh Ahluwalia, known to be close to the prime minister, may become finance minister and former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor C. Rangarajan — another person that the prime minister holds in high esteem — may take over as chief economic adviser to the prime minister.
