PM meets President

With speculation doing the rounds about an impending Cabinet reshuffle, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday called on President Pratibha Patil. An official communiqueacute; released by the President8217;s office said both the leaders discussed various national and international developments during their 30-minute meeting.

Congress circles are abuzz with speculation about an impending Cabinet reshuffle in view of the fact that Cabinet ministers P R Dasmunsi, Saifuddin Soz and Minister of State Suresh Pachouri were recently appointed PCC chiefs. Moreover, the Rajya Sabha term of Pachouri and M V Rajshekharan has expired.

In the backdrop of a series of Assembly elections slated this year and the Congress gearing up for the next general elections, there have also been indications about the Congress leadership thinking in terms of effecting some changes at the Centre to induct new faces before the poll momentum picks up.