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Cabinet reshuffle reports resurface |
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With the Monsoon session of Parliament coming to an end last week, reports have started going round of a reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. There are a number of vacancies in the Manmohan Singh Ministry because of resignation of former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh and the recent episode of two Ministers belonging to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) quitting in protest against the Centre’s not setting up a separate Telangana state.
There are reports that the Prime Minister may opt to have a full-fledged External Affairs Minister. Dr. Manmohan Singh has himself been looking after External Affairs after Natwar was divested of the portfolio.
Observers say that after successfully clarifying the Government’s stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Prime Minister may decide to go in for a full-fledged External Affairs Minister. It was thought earlier that Dr. Manmohan Singh would not risk having an External Affairs Minister till the nuclear deal was through. But now, observers say, a more confident Manmohan Singh is in the saddle.
Congress sources said for now the Government was moving towards a “single Cabinet reshuffle” just to fill the slot that Natwar Singh no longer holds. A larger reshuffle is expected after the PM returns from the NAM summit in Cuba in September. “The Prime Minister wants only the External Affairs Minister’s slot to be filled before the UN General Assembly in September,” a source in the Congress said.
The Prime Minister, observers say, is apparently not toying with a wide range of choices. He has made it known that he wants neither Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee nor Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to be shifted from their positions.
Reports say there are four “Ks” making a bid for the job: Karan Singh, Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath and S M Krishna, at present Governor in Maharashtra. Karan Singh heads the foreign cell of the Congress party. He has been Indian Ambassador to the US and Indo-US relations are central to the country’s foreign policy. Kapil Sibal was minister in waiting when US President George Bush was in India. He has been one of the key interlocutors in the nuclear deal.
Having been Commerce and Industry Minister, Kamal Nath would now like to be upgraded and tackle a more challenging assignment. As for the suave and polished Krishna, he has for some time wanted to return to active politics. He has the support of powerful groups, which include the Maharashtra Chief Minister.
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