The stage is set for the Cabinet reshuffle, scheduled to be held on Wednesday evening at 5 pm, after the names of the outgoing and new ministers were finalised in a two-hour long meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.
BJP president Amit Shah's influence in the Narendra Modi cabinet revamp was evident from the inclusion of Jagat Prakash Nadda, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
Fifteen Cabinet ministers and 28 Ministers of State were sworn-in by President Ram Nath Kovind at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday evening.
AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge addressed speculation about a change in Karnataka's Chief Minister, stating that there would be no change 'for now' and that the leadership issue would be resolved soon. The statement comes amid rumours of a possible leadership change and cabinet reshuffle after the results of assembly elections in other states are announced.
While Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that he will not be joining the government, the Sunday reshuffle will be closely watched for how much influence Rahul Gandhi will have on it, says Neerja Chowdhury
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Bannerjee is 'almost certain' to enter the Cabinet.
The reshuffle in the Cabinet of Ministers in the United Progressive Alliance II threw up a few surprises on Wednesday.
A forum of swamijis has urged the Congress high command to immediately appoint D K Shivakumar as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, warning of consequences if the demand is not met.
The much-talked about reshuffle of Union Council of Ministers will take place on Tuesday evening, sources said. This follows a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi this morning in which finishing touches were understood to have been given to the proposed changes.
More than three years after assuming office, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will effect a major reshuffle of his ministry on Sunday in a bid to refurbish administration with several ministers facing the axe.
Ruling Congress in Karnataka on Monday retained Bagalkot and Davanagere South assembly seats, giving a respite to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the party leadership, amid the ongoing power tussle over the leadership issue.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismisses media speculation about a possible change in the state's leadership, reiterating that he will abide by the Congress high command's decision.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday. The meeting comes amid speculation in party circles that an expansion-cum-reshuffle of the Union Cabinet could be carried out soon.
For the past one week, Modi has been holding in-person meetings with Union ministers apparently to take stock of the work done by the government in the last two years and to discuss various issues.
A K Bhattacharya deciphers Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first cabinet reshuffle.
In order to implement big ticket ideas which are likely to come via the Budget of 2015, Modi needs better political talent around him, says Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com.
With President Pranab Mukherjee accepting the resignations of seven Cabinet ministers late on Saturday evening, the reshuffle is expected to see the induction of at least 12 ministers, most of them being younger in age. There will be a conscious effort to ensure that Cabinet has a younger profile
The Union Cabinet is likely to be reshuffled on Sunday. Speculation has been rife about a possible reshuffle in the wake of the exit of Trinamool Congress ministers and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam representatives A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran in the last two years.
Senior leader Oscar Fernandes, who is currently minister without portfolio, could be brought full time to the organisation amid reports that the known loyalist of the party chief could get a key assignment.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel reshuffled his cabinet, inducting 19 new ministers and elevating Harsh Sanghavi to Deputy Chief Minister. The swearing-in ceremony took place on Friday, with several existing ministers continuing in their roles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will reshuffle and expand his council of ministers on Tuesday
The power tussle within the ruling party has intensified, amid speculation about chief minister change in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20, citing an alleged "power-sharing" agreement involving CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in 2023.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday held consultations giving further grist to the speculation mill over a possible reshuffle of the Union Cabinet. This is the fourth meeting of the two leaders in recent days amid indications that the reshuffle would take place any time this week. There has been no official word on when exactly the prime minister would carry out the exercise.
The resignation letter states he is resigning as MLA of Mandya constituency, without assigning any reason.
Sources in the party have been maintaining that Congress will induct at least one minister from West Bengal during this reshuffle.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge stated that the party high command will decide on the ongoing speculation about a chief minister change in Karnataka. This comes amid intensified power tussle within the ruling party as the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term.
A reshuffle-cum-expansion of Union Council of Ministers appears to be on the cards after the July 19 Presidential elections.
The Centre on Thursday said the United Progressive Alliance allies were not covered in the reshuffle of the Council of Ministers in view of the upcoming assembly elections in various states."It was not that big a reshuffle. Only the portfolios were shuffled," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said while briefing media on the Cabinet meeting."It was not that big a reshuffle. Only the portfolios were shuffled," Information, Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said
The already-strained ties between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena further dipped on the eve of the union cabinet reshuffle with the Sena representative unlikely to make an entry at the Centre.
Sources say there are over half a dozen vacancies in the Ministry.
The much talked about reshuffle of the Union Cabinet will take place on Monday, ahead of which C P Joshi and Ajay Maken stepped down as Cabinet ministers. Both Joshi and Maken had handed over their resignations on Saturday night. Their resignations were today accepted by President Pranab Mukherjee with immediate effect, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
The stage is set now for a major revamp of the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday with the likely induction of at least ten new faces and promotion of some ministers of state, besides a rejig in the Cabinet, in which Anand Sharma may get the external affairs portfolio.
The Union Council of Ministers is likely to undergo a substantive reshuffle which could see the possible induction of Rahul Gandhi into the Cabinet along with some other new faces and the exit of a few ministers.
The reshuffle in the Union Cabinet, carried out on Wednesday, appears to have some focus on assembly election-bound states like Kerala and Uttar Pradesh.
The exit of Dayanidhi Maran from the government has fuelled speculation of a reshuffle of the Union Cabinet early next week, possibly on Monday or Tuesday.
'If the BJP seriously addresses employment, examination integrity and systemic corruption, they might salvage their position. Otherwise, they are heading toward serious trouble in 2027.'
Ahead of Sunday's reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers, three Cabinet ministers and a minister of state resigned on Saturday, saying they want to work for the party.
Karnataka BJP President B Y Vijayendra suggests political developments are underway in the ruling Congress party and expects them to culminate after the Bihar assembly polls, hinting at a possible change in Chief Minister.
