New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will reshuffle his Cabinet at around 5 PM on Wednesday. Sources say that the Prime Minister is keen on inducting some young faces at the cost of political heavyweights but no one is likely to be dropped from the Cabinet.
Performance will be the key for retention of ministers. UPA-II's first Cabinet reshuffle is likely to see eight to 10 changes, including the inclusion of four-five ministers of state and three Cabinet ministers.
Sharad Pawar, who is currently the Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, could lose the latter. Kapil Sibal is set to retain the Human Resource Development and Telecom portfolios.
Manmohan Singh is likely to promote Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel along with Minister of Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed and induct the duo into the Cabinet.
Khursheed is likely to get the Law Ministry which means M Veerappa Moily might have to make way for him.
Another Minister of State with independent charge, Shriprakash Jaiswal, who handles the Ministry of Coal apart from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is also tipped to be elevated to a Cabinet rank.
Congress MP from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, Beni Prasad Verma, is likely to get the rank of Minister of State with independent charge.
Verma said that he has been asked by the Prime Minister's Office to be in Delhi.
"I have been asked by the Prime Minister's Office to be in Delhi. That's why I have come to the capital," said Verma.
He was the telecom minister in the United Front Government in mid 1990s.
The Prime Minister has also taken a tough stand on Commonwealth Games corruption. Sports Minister MS Gill is likely to go while S Jaipal Reddy could lose the Urban Development Ministry portfolio.
Ajay Maken will lose his Home portfolio but is likely to get independent charge of Sports and Youth Affairs. Union Minister of State for Agriculture KV Thomas could get an independent charge.
Other ministers of state may include Bhaskar Khadgaonkar from Maharashtra, KC Venugopal from Kerala and Manik Tagore from Tamil Nadu
The reshuffle comes in the backdrop of a sharp decline in its image following numerous scams and spiralling prices. The reshuffle will also fill in the vacancies caused by exit of Prithviraj Chavan and Shashi Tharoor.
Names of those likely to be dropped which are doing rounds are Veerbhadra Singh, Kantilal Bhuria, CP Joshi and BK Handique.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kamal Nath could be sent back to the organisation.
Allies like the DMK and Trinamool Congress are making no demands preferring to concentrate on elections in their states later this year.
Congress sources say states like Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Kerala and Assam which are going to elections in a few months are likely to get greater attention.
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