The names of Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia, Mr Gurudas Kamat, Mr E. Ahamed, Mr Beni Prasad Verma, Dr Charan Das Mahant, Mr Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Dr Girija Vyas are doing the rounds for either promotion or induction during the proposed Cabinet reshuffle expected any time in the next week.
On the other hand, the RJD, led by Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav, and RLD chief Ajit Singh could join the government if the Congress-led UPA decides to expand the ruling coalition. While the RJD has been backing the Manmohan Singh government, the RLD is moving closer to the Congress ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Mr Scindia, Mr Kamat and Mr Ahamed are currently ministers of state while Mr Verma is MoS with independent charge.
If insiders are to be believed, Mr Scindia, Mr Kamat and Mr Ahamed will be given portfolios with independent charge. Mr Ahamed is the leader of the Muslim League whose support is crucial for the Congress-led government in Kerala.
Mr Scindia is seen as a future leader of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. Mr Kamat was a find of the late Rajiv Gandhi. He has proved his electability several times by defeating the late BJP heavyweight Pramod Mahajan. He had led the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee for a full term.
Dr Mahant is the only Congress MP in Chhattisgarh. In fact, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Manipur are the three states not represented in the Union Cabinet. Mr Bandyopadhyay is said to be the choice of Trinamul Congress president and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
The current strength of the Cabinet is 77, including the PM. The reported resignation of textile minister Dayanidhi Maran is yet to be confirmed by the PMO and the DMK, and by Mr Maran himself.
The PM did not drop any minister when he expanded his team a few months ago. And when he did, he promised an expansive Cabinet reshuffle. Since then he has had at least three one-on-one meetings with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, according to reports. The fourth took place on Saturday.
The PM will have to appoint a new railway minister after Ms Banerjee became West Bengal chief minister. And, insiders said, his priority is to correct some key ministries. He is also expected to reallocate portfolios as at least half a dozen Congress ministers hold more than two portfolios.
Though it is still unclear whether the proposed reshuffle-cum-expansion will be a political exercise or whether the PM wants to make value additions by inducting experts and academicians into his team. Sources fear that at least half-a-dozen ministers could be dropped to make way for new faces.
The PM is facing growing pressure from Uttar Pradesh for an increase in its number of ministers while Andhra Pradesh has only one minister of Cabinet rank. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has urged Dr Manmohan Singh to induct more MPs from the state into his Cabinet. He had said he had sent a representation on this to the PM. “I am hopeful there will be more ministers from Assam in the Union Cabinet this time,” Mr Gogoi said.