Cabinet reshuffle to take place today; Mallikarjun Kharge likely as Railways Minister

Mangalore Today News Network/NDTV

New Delhi, June 17, 2013: New faces are likely to be inducted in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet today. The Congress yesterday announced its new team for Mission 2014 - perhaps to signal that the party is ready for the challenge. The reshuffle of the Council of Ministers scheduled to take place today evening is expected to be the last one with the Lok Sabha elections less than a year away.

Five months after Rahul Gandhi was appointed as party vice-president, Congress has carried out the organisation revamp, second since October, to prepare for Lok Sabha elections. And it seemed to have a clear imprint of Mr Gandhi.


Ajay Maken and CP Joshi, the two ministers who resigned from the UPA government on Saturday, were drafted into the party.

Mr Maken will be the new face of the Congress media wing; meanwhile, former Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni has made a strong comeback into the party fold. She will now work closely with party president Sonia Gandhi as in-charge of the Congress President’s office.

Another person who has got a huge leg up is Madhusudan Mistry. The low profile leader from Gujarat will now be in-charge of Uttar Pradesh and work closely with Rahul Gandhi. Interestingly, being a Gujarati, Mr Mistry is familiar with the working styles of Narendra Modi and close aide Amit Shah, BJP’s UP in-charge. Mr Mistry also had a successful stint as the party’s general secretary of Karnataka where Congress romped home victorious.

Digvijaya Singh has been given the task of handling one of the most challenging states. As in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Mr Singh will be handling the Telangana issue.

Congress’s high-profile leaders from Karnataka are expected to be rewarded after last month’s win in the state elections. Mallikarjun Kharge, who lost out in the Chief Minister’s race, is likely to be the new Railways Minister. Oscar Fernandes, also from Karnataka, will be the new Surface Transport Minster, say sources.

Congress leaders from Rajasthan, which goes to elections in a few months, are also likely to be elevated to the Cabinet rank. While Girija Vyas may get the Housing and poverty alleviation portfolio, Sis Ram Ola, is likely to get the Labour Ministry. Virender Singh, also from Rajasthan is likely to get the Textile Ministry.

Also likely to be inducted as minsters of state are Meenakshi Natarajan, who is known to be close to Mr Gandhi and Manik Rao Gavit. Also, of the 42 secretaries appointed in Congress’ new team, many are seen as close aides of the Congress vice-president. Jagdish Tytler, who is facing a fresh CBI inquiry for his role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, has been dropped. And so have those, who looked after states like Goa, Punjab and Bihar, reportedly due to non-performance.