With Prime Minister Narendra Modi set to rejig his Cabinet by this Sunday, speculations are already flooding in about who will make a debut and who will be shifted from their current portfolios.
According to reports, at least 11 new ministers will join the Cabinet and Council of Ministers, and the swearing-in is likely to be held on Sunday. The government has reportedly already intimated the President's office of the oath-taking ceremony.
BJP ally Telugu Desam Party's Chandrababu Naidu hinted on Thursday that details of the cabinet expansion will be out in a couple of days, confirming rejig rumours during an interview at the World Economic Forum's India summit in New Delhi, NDTV reported.
There has been increasing clamour about Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's chances of getting the Defence portfolio, which is being handled by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.
Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitaraman could also be elevated as a cabinet minister, and Yashwant Sinha's son Jayant Sinha may be inducted in her place, while Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi may also return to the cabinet, and could get charge of statistics and planning, according to some reports.
With Delhi polls in mind, the BJP-led government could also include Haryana's Jat leader Birendra Singh.
Maharashtra MP Hansraj Ahir is likely to be named the new coal minister with the rank of minister of state (independent charge), some reports suggest, while Shiv Sena leader Suresh Prabhu could also make an entry. He is rumoured to get the rural development minsitry.
In the reshuffle, HRD Minsiter Smriti Irani could see a new role, while I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar, who is also handling environment and parliamentary affairs, could be relieved of some of the duties.
According to reports, some ministers currently in the cabinet could also be dropped based on their performance.
