There is speculation in  the air that there could be a reshuffle in the Union Cabinet as also in the All India Congress Committee Secretariat sooner than later.

With the exit of two Telangana Rashtra Samiti ministers and Natwar Singh, who was indicted by the Pathak Inquiry Authority, there are at least three vacancies in the Cabinet and speculation is centred around who would be the new external affairs minister.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who holds the key portfolio, had indicated while returning from St Petersburg last month, there could be a full time foreign minister soon.

The names of senior ministers Kapil Sibal and P Chidambaram as also senior Congress leader Karan Singh and Maharashtra governor S M Krishna are doing the rounds to head the external affairs ministry.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the leader in the Lok Sabha, could also be shifted to External Affairs.