Jaitley hints at cabinet expansion

Arun Jaitley, who has got important portfolios of finance, defence and corporate affairs in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Tuesday said there will be cabinet expansion soon.

Talking to reporters after taking charge as finance minister at North Block here, Jaitley said he holds defence portfolio only as an additional charge and it would go to a new person once there is a cabinet expansion.

"For a transition phase, I will be looking after the ministry of defence also, but that's only an additional charge till when there is an expansion in the cabinet," Jaitley said.

In the newly sworn-in National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Jaitley has turned out to be the most important person after Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the apex decision-making body of the cabinet, Jaitley holds two portfolios - finance and defence. Other two ministers in the CCS, besides the Prime Minister who chairs it, are Rajnath Singh as home minister and Sushma Swaraj as external affairs minister.