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- By Our Political Correspondent, January 30, 2006, 09:47 IST
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would keep the External Affairs portfolio, vacated by K Natwar Singh in the wake of the Volcker controversy, ''for some time'' and denied that it would put extra pressure on him.
Talking to newsmen after the swearing-in of 22 Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Singh said that ultimately, the Prime Minster took the decision on the foreign policy and as such he was not overburdened.
Without giving any time frame for appointing a new External Affairs minister, the Prime Minister said "in due course of time, we will have one."
Singh was responding to queries about when the country would have a full-fledged External Affairs Minister and whether he was finding himself overburdened holding the additional charge.
Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh was considered a front-runner for the key slot.
About the reports of another cabinet reshuffle after the budget session, the Prime Minister quipped "there is always a possibility. One can never rule it out."
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