Expect a few changes in the union cabinet around July 10, a fortnight before the start of the monsoon session of parliament. The Congress wants the allies like NCP, Trinamool Congress and DMK to shed some of the cushy portofolios. In the process, the Congress wants Sharad Pawar to give up the food ministry, where a new ally, Ajit Singh, can be accommodated.

Similarly, the Congress has infromally sounded DMK that A Raja may have to give up telecom while retaining information technology, though the southern partner can assign its own nominee for telecom.

As Pawar got elected as chairman of the International Cricket Committee (ICC), Delhi's corridors of power started buzzing about cabinet changes in the offing. Speculation only gained momentum on Tuesday with Ahmed Patel meeting Praful Patel and later speaking to Dayanidhi Maran on telephone.