The Customary Musical Chairs

Sanjay Paswan and Ravi Shankar Prasad, ministers of state for telecommunications and law respectively, hope they will get promoted. Lateral shifts are unlikely, though. Disinvestment minister Arun Shourie, who was expected to be shifted to commerce, may survive to fight another day. Health minister Shatrughan Sinha, who had been hoping for civil aviation, will have to rest content with what he has.

As for those likely to be dropped, Jana Krishnamurthy may be eased out on health grounds. But maximum speculation is centred on coal minister Uma Bharati and personnel minister Vasundhararaje Scindia, who have been given charge of MP and Rajasthan respectively but seem reluctant to relinquish their berths.