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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on President Pranab Mukherjee. The meeting is seen as a precursor to a Cabinet reshuffle, possibly on Sunday.
Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu gave further credence to the rumour when he said, at the India Economic Forum, his party, the Telugu Desam Party, would participate in the reshuffle if it takes place in a day or two.
With discussions on about the successor to Manohar Parrikar, currently the chief minister of Goa, it is clear that he is planning to move to the Centre. He is tipped to get the defence portfolio.
In Panjim, Parrikar told news agencies that he has got the no-objection certificate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join the Central Cabinet but the BJP will clear the reshuffle at a meeting on November 8. Reshuffle is likely to take place on November 9.
Others reportedly joining the government are Jayant Sinha, venture capitalist and a member of Parliament (MP) from Jharkhand; Col Sona Ram, BJP MP from Barmer who defeated former defence minister Jaswant Singh in Rajasthan; and at least one MP from the Jat community which had been the mainstay of the BJP in western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
There was no authoritative word about former environment and water resources minister Suresh Prabhu of the Shiv Sena, who is favoured by the BJP. Nor was it clear if any of the sitting ministers would be dropped from the Cabinet.
There is speculation that Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda could be axed, because of late, he has been mired in controversy over rape charges against his son and has been paying little attention to his portfolio.
