Manmohan Singh may reshuffle his cabinet pack soon

Decks seem to have been cleared for a reshuffle of the Union cabinet and organisational changes in the ruling Congress.

An indication of this came when prime minister Manmohan Singh called on President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday evening.

The meeting was termed routine in which the nation’s prevailing political situation was discussed, but sources said finishing touches were being given to proposed ministerial changes that could take place on Wednesday.

To buttress their point, the sources said the prime minister had deferred a plan to address the nation on Sankranti for the purpose.

It is learnt that Manmohan and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi have already held a couple of rounds of talks to sort out certain thorny issues denting the image of the government.

PM is keen to send a strong signal to countrymen and wants a free hand in choosing his ministerial team and in allocation of portfolios.

The Nira Radia tapes suggested that neither Sonia Gandhi, nor Singh is the master and things are decided elsewhere.

There is a realisation that lack of coordination at the top has led to this bizarre situation. Therefore, the long-pending reshuffle should generate confidence in the government, so that UPA is able to fight the opposition which is firing one salvo after another.

The question is not merely of filling vacancies as ministers such as Sharad Pawar and Kapil Sibal hold two to three important portfolios and will have to shed some.

TR Baalu of DMK is set to join the government and may be given an infrastructure ministry while Praful Patel of NCP may be upgraded to cabinet rank.

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyay may also get a berth as representative of the largest UPA constituent after Congress.

But there is still some uncertainty whether a Kamraj-type plan, which former prime minister the late Indira Gandhi implemented in the early seventies to re-energise Congress and the government, would be employed by Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi.

If this is to be done, at least 4-5 senior Congress ministers will be sent to states and new blood will be infused in the government so that it looks “younger” as promised by PM in May 2010.

Pawar, who holds agriculture, food and consumer affairs ministries, had earlier expressed intention to shed some of his burden. Similarly, Sibal, who has HRD, telecom and science and technology, may give up the last portfolio.

He is said to be passionate about retaining HRD in which he has initiated certain reforms and would like to pursue them. PM does not want to remove Sibal from telecom, which was given to him after A Raja’s resignation in the wake of the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

A source close to the powers that be said a clear picture should emerge by Tuesday.