Cabinet reshuffle on cards?

A reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers as well as the AICC appears to be imminent after the government won the trust vote in Lok Sabha, reports Pankaj Vohra.

A reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers as well as the AICC appears to be imminent after the government won the trust vote in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Informed sources said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in consultation with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, may now go in for a major cabinet revamp to include ministers who can deliver on the UPA agenda.

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Some of the promises made by the UPA before the elections still remain unfulfilled and the PM is keen that in an election year, these be given top priority.

The government is also likely to ensure its achievements get highlighted. With the Left out of the way, a plan on how to implement some of the promises before the next polls will be put in place very quickly.

The sources said in the re-shuffle, vacant cabinet positions would be filled. One such position may go to Shibu Soren. Many non-performing ministers may also be dropped to facilitate efficiency and delivery on promises.

In the Congress, Sonia is likely to bring in fresh faces to make its functioning more streamlined. Rahul Gandhi could get additional responsibility. Some more young MPs may be given either party positions or be included in the council of ministers.