Title - Cabinet reshuffle likely soon

Though the UPA Government on Saturday gave additional charges to C.P. Joshi and Kapil Sibal, indications from the Congress are that there could be a minor Cabinet reshuffle soon.Joshi, Highway and Road Transport Minister, was entrusted also the charge of the Railway Ministry. Kapil Sibal, Telecom Minister, will take care of the Law Ministry.A Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué made the announcement based on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recommendations to President Pranab Mukherjee after Pawan Kumar Bansal and Ashwani Kumar tendered their resignations on Friday night.Sources in the Congress said that the Manmohan Singh Government may go for an early election, along with the Assembly elections in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The current term of the governments in these States expires in October.Joshi had held additional charge of the Railways for over a month in September-October 2012, after Mukul Roy resigned when the Trinamool Congress exited the United Progressive Alliance.Joshi replaces Bansal, who quit on Friday. During the one month of holding additional charge, Joshi had favoured setting up of a railway regulator, something he may push for again.

BJP UPS ANTE

With Bansal and Ashwani Kumar resigning, the BJP, principal Opposition party, is now seeking the ouster of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Dissatisfied with the resignations, the BJP asked Manmohan Singh to introspect and decide what should be done on his part to restore the faith of people in the entire political establishment.

BJP President Rajnath Singh said that if the Prime Minister does an honest introspection, the only option before him will be resignation.

The BJP has scheduled its national executive meeting at Panaji in June to formulate its future strategy. Singh said the party will hit the streets from May 27 to June 2 in protest against the UPA’s “gross inaction and rampant corruption”.