Cabinet reshuffle likely

Dhawan, Mohsina, Satish Sharma may be made ministers

A reshuffle in the Union Cabinet is expected to take place in the parliamentary recess between July 23 and August 15. Official government sources confirm that the date of the reshuffle might be close to August 15.

Sources close to Telengana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhara Rao confirmed that the minister without a portfolio would be allotted one in the upcoming reshuffle.

Although the reshuffle had been tentatively scheduled to take place before July 30, subsequent developments like floods and the drought, not to mention the issuing of a non-bailable warrant against Coal and Mines Minister (now resigned), Shibu Soren, have meant that the reshuffle would have to wait.

"These events were unforeseen, and neither Congress chief Sonia Gandhi nor Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has had any time to devote to the issue," said a government source.

Congress leaders in the race include Mohsina Kidwai, RK Dhawan, and Satish Sharma. Contrary to what had been discussed till now, the petroleum portfolio would not be given to Sharma, Congress sources said.

A TRS office-bearer said, at a dinner hosted by Rao for the Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi on July 20, the matter was cursorily discussed and the impression was that the reshuffle would have to wait till August.

"Rao is keen to get a portfolio soon because all his work is now being routed through the Cabinet secretary, which is inconvenient," said a TRS leader.

Earlier, Rao had given up his claim on the shipping portfolio after the DMK said the department had been promised to it. Rao earned the Congress' gratitude but little else since then.

As far as Rao's portfolio is concerned, party sources confirmed that he had demanded either the power or the urban development portfolio.

"While it is unlikely that the power portfolio will be taken away from PM Sayeed and handed over to Rao, the urban development portfolio appears to be the ticket," said a TRS leader, the reason being that Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad holds also the parliamentary affairs portfolio.