Cabinet reshuffle tomorrow

The much-talked about reshuffle and expansion of the Union Council of Ministers will take place at 5 PM tomorrow amidst indications that Salman Khurshid, Praful Patel and Jairam Ramesh could be elevated to Cabinet rank.

Indications also emerged that the 'big four' incumbents in Finance, Home, Defence and External Affairs may not be disturbed in the reshuffle, the first in the UPA-II after it retained power in May 2009.

Singh, who held discussions today for over two hours with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, gave finishing touches to tomorrow's exercise which Congress sources said would be a "moderate" affair.

Gandhi was accompanied by her Political Secretary Ahmed Patel in the discussions with Singh. In the evening, senior leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Gandhi.

In the reshuffle, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar may shed Consumer Affairs, one of the three portfolios he has, while Kapil Sibal may give up Science and Technology.

Sibal, who was given recently additional charge of Telecom in the wake of exit of A Raja, may retain that. But there is speculation that HRD, which he holds, could go to M Veerappa Moily in case Khurshid takes over as Law Minister, a portfolio currently with Moily.

Equally strongly a section in the party feels that Sibal may continue to hold the HRD to maintain continunity in the ministry because he initiated a series of reforms.