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Union Cabinet reshuffle likely after Nov 16

     New Delhi: The much talked about expansion and reshuffle of the Union Cabinet is most likely to be carried out after the week-long state mourning ending on November 15 following the death of former President KR Narayanan. Sources said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to undertake the exercise before the winter session of Parliament beginning on November 23. Natwar Singh's exit from the External Affairs Ministry including, there are as many as half-a-dozen slots vacant in the ministry, said sources, adding that previous attempts to fill them up in the past few months have all been unsuccessful. They further said that since the Prime Minister has himself retained the External Affairs Ministry with him ahead of the SAARC Summit at Dhaka, there are no clear cut indicants on who might be given the key portfolio. AICC General Secretary Ambika Soni, former Chief Ministers AK Antony, Giridhar Gamang and other leaders Vayalar Ravi, Chandrasekhar Sahu, Suresh Kalmadi and Gurudas Kamat were some of the names doing the round, they said. Some have, however, said that the reshuffle and expansion would take place only after December 23, the conclusion of the winter session of the Parliament.