The cabinet reshuffle that prime minister Manmohan Singh had promised to effect soon after the budget is likely to take place later on Monday. PM discussed the cabinet changes with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi who has approved them. The PM is likely to meet the president this evening.

Rumour mills have it that there are going to be four new faces in the union council of ministers, all of them from the Congress, two at the cabinet level and two in the rank of the minister of state.
Moreover, there is likely to be a massive reshuffle in the ministries and at least 15 of them will see a change of guards at the top.

The swearing-in ceremony will be either on evening of Tuesday or morning of Wednesday, as Sonia Gandhi will be away from Delhi for a day.

At a time when a series of scams have hit the UPA and decision-making has come to a standstill, the top priority for the ruling coalition is to ensure the monsoon session goes smoothly. The cabinet changes are being decided accordingly.

Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi have held four meetings to discuss new inductions, dropping of old faces and promotions from MoS to cabinet rank – within the Congress. Obviously, the allies like DMK, TMC and NCP have to be taken on board too. Region, age and caste are also deciding factors.

Manmohan Singh is currently busy with his trusted principal secretary TKA Nair, who is coordinating with Christie Fernandes, the secretary to the president, regarding the swearing-in ceremony function.

The prime minister’s office is likely to call up the probables to be in Delhi by 3 pm Tuesday.