Performance to be the key in Cabinet rejig

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to promote Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel along with Minister of Corporate Affairs and Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed and induct the duo into the Cabinet.

Another Minister of State with independent charge, Shriprakash Jaiswal, who handles the Ministry of Coal apart from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation is also tipped to be elevated to a Cabinet rank.

Congress MP from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, Beni Prasad Verma, is likely to get the rank of Minister of State with independent charge.

Verma said that he has been asked by the Prime Minister's Office to be in Delhi.

"I have been asked by the Prime Minister's Office to be in Delhi. That's why I have come to the capital," said Verma.

He was the telecom minister in the United Front Government in mid 1990s.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture KV Thomas could get an independent charge while Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken may get the Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry. With Maken in the race for Sports and Youth Affairs Ministry, current minister MS Gill has reasons to be worried.

The reshuffle comes in the backdrop of a sharp decline in its image following numerous scams and spiralling prices. The reshuffle, which is also the first in the UPA-II Government, will also fill in the vacancies caused by exit of Prithviraj Chavan and Shashi Tharoor.

Sources say that the performance quotient will be the key for retention of ministers. Sources indicate that some ministers who failed to reach the mark will be replaced some could be sent packing to back into the Congress party.

Names of those likely to be dropped which are doing rounds are Veerbhadra Singh, Kantilal Bhuria and CP Joshi.

Sibal! is like ly to retain telecom while question mark remains over HRD and science and technology portfolios. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kamal Nath could be sent back to the organisation.

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, under fire over rising food prices, has expressed a desire to give up one portfolio could finally have his way.

But other allies like the DMK and Trinamool are making no demands preferring to concentrate on elections in their states later this year.

Congress sources say states like Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Kerala and Assam which are going to elections in a few months are likely to get greater attention.