Press Trust of India Posted online: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 at 1128 hours IST
New Delhi, January 24: Speculation is again gaining ground about a reshuffle and expansion of the Union Council of Ministers by the end of this month before start of the budget session of Parliament on February 16.
With the AICC plenary session concluding in Hyderabad yesterday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is expected to hold consultations with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue shortly.
There are about half a dozen vacancies in the Manmohan Singh ministry arising from the resignation of K Natwar Singh, deaths of P M Sayeed and Sunil Dutt, shifting of Ghulam Nabi Azad as Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister apart from that of K Rahman Khan becoming deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Another vacancy rose out of the resignation of Jagdish Tytler in the wake of the Nanawati Commission's report on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Prime Minister's earlier attempts to reshuffle and expand his ministry were said to have been put off for a variety of reasons, leaving ministerial hopefuls waiting in the wings.
Sources say the Prime Minister might carry out the long-speculated exercise by this month.
The Prime Minister, who is generally reticent on the issue, had himself indicated that he would apply his mind in the matter after the winter session of Parliament. He had also said there was need for expansion.
