By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS,
On Board Air India One: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has indicated a cabinet reshuffle but declined any comment on its timing, or who will replace Pranab Mukherjee as finance minister.
“I think that’s a legitimate expectation,” he told the accompanying media delegation to the G20 and Rio+20 summits to Mexico and Brazil, on his way back to New Delhi Saturday when asked he wished to reshuffle his cabinet.
“You will get to know about it when it takes place,” he added, when also queried if more parties were set to formally join the United Progressive Alliance in the near future.
The prime minister said he has been thinking about who will take over the finance portfolio from Mukherjee, now that he is expected to shift from the North Block to Rashtrapati Bhavan.
“I have been churning it in my mind,” the prime minister said.
“Quite honestly I have a number of issues which I have to resolve. It will not be proper for me to announce while I am outside the country. When the decision is taken, you will get to know about it.”
(Arvind Padmanabhan can be reached at [email protected])