According to the sources, the senior ministers will henceforth have juniors from their own party. "This is a decision they have taken apparently after getting several complaints from the junior ministers that they had not been given any work by their seniors, despite their experience and efficiency," the source added.

Many a junior minister complained to Gandhi as well as Manmohan Singh against their cabinet ministers and their reluctance to share work with them. For instance, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E.V.K. Elangovan had complained to Gandhi that his cabinet colleague Kamal Nath had not been giving him any ministerial responsibilities.

Sources also said that the Congress leadership was also keen to add young blood to the council of ministers. Prominent among the names doing the rounds are those of Jyotiraditya Scindia and Delhi leader Ajay Maken.

They added that Shibu Soren of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, who had to quit the cabinet after being served an arrest warrant over case of mass murder in his state, is expected to return to the cabinet as Railway Minister Lalu Prasad staunchly supported him.

Soren is out on bail now.

Though the much talked about reshuffle, the first after the UPA government took over in May, was originally expected to be held this week, it is now said to have been scheduled after Diwali.

Manmohan Singh's three-tier council of ministers has 66 members, including himself. Its strength can go up to 83.