Amid talk of a reshuffle-cum- expansion of the Union Council of Ministers soon,Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today indicated that he was open to the idea. "I will apply my mind when I get time," was his brief comment when asked about the much-talked about reshuffle amid reports that it may take place in the next fortnight. The talk in ruling circles is that the exercise could take place either by June 15 or early July,ahead of of the monsoon session of Parliament. While the contours of the exercise were not known,Singh had made it clear after the cabinet reshuffle in January that "a more expansive" exercise will take place after the budget session. The possibility has brightened after the victory of Mamata Banerjee,who became the Chief Minister of West Bengal,and resigned as Railway Minister at the Centre. The talk in the political circle is that her party colleague Mukul Roy,who has been given additional charge of Minister of State in the Railway,will be elevated to the Cabinet rank in the Railway ministry. Ministers like Kapil Sibal are holding more than one portfolio. While there are some vacancies including that created by the resignation of A Raja in the wake of the 2G spectrum scam and Prithviraj Chavan,who became Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Congress sources discounted the possibility of Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj being brought to the Centre. Bhardwaj was Law Minister in UPA-1.
