PM ‘cautious’ over Cabinet reshuffle?
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seems to have suddenly turned cautious on the issue of reshuffling his Cabinet. On Wednesday, he said that he would “try” to carry out a reshuffle of his council of ministers before the Winter Session of Parliament, beginning on November 7.
“I will try to do it before the Winter Session. I have not said I will not do it (reshuffle). There are so many constituents (in the UPA coalition),” Dr Singh told reporters at his residence where he hosted an iftar reception.
He was asked about the reshuffle following a statement on Monday indicating such a possibility.
At the reception, home minister P. Chidambaram was asked about the verdict of the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Ayodhya dispute slated for September 24.
“Wait for the verdict,” he said.
The PM’s iftar reception, at his 7, Race Course Road residence, provided an opportunity for Mr Chidambaram to have an informal chat with Pakistan high commissioner Shahid Malik. Mr Chidambaram walked up to Mr Malik and was seen discussing something.
Soon they were joined by home secretary G.K. Pillai and the three were together for about five minutes.
India and Pakistan is currently discussing the possibility of a Pakistani commission coming here to record the statements of the Mumbai magistrate before whom 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab gave his confessional statement.
The reception was attended by vice-president Hamid Ansari, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and senior BJP leader L.K. Advani, besides a host of other important personalities.
Playing a good host, Dr Singh went around and greeted the guests, who also included Union ministers, leaders of Congress, BJP and Left, besides some senior officials and diplomats.
Dr Singh, Mr Ansari, Ms Kumar, Mrs Gandhi and CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury shared a table.
There was rainfall towards the end of the reception but it failed to dampen the mood of the gathering.
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