List of probables for Manmohan's Cabinet

New Delhi: NDTV has learnt about some of the frontrunners for Manmohan Singh's core group of ministers. Sources have told NDTV that they include:

Pranab Mukherjee as Finance Minister - a portfolio that he held in the previous Cabinet as well.

P Chidambaram as Home Minister - again a portfolio that he held in the previous Cabinet. AK Antony may continue as the Defence Minister.

Kapil Sibal may take over as Human Resource Development Minister. Arjun Singh was the HRD Minister in the previous Cabinet.

Sharad Pawar may yet again grab the Agriculture portfolio. No change is expected in the ministry.

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Praful Patel is most likely to stay with the Civil Aviation Ministry. HR Bhardwaj could be the Law Minister again.

Salman Khurshid may be made the Minority Affairs Minister. He was not holding any portfolio in the earlier Cabinet.

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Foreign affairs: Proving to be the tough one... There are many contenders -

Kamal Nath, SM Krishna, Kapil Sibal. Another possibility is of Salman Khurshid being made Minister of State with Independent Charge.

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For the Railways, DMK and TMC may be locked in a close fight.

Congress doesn't want A Raja and TR Baalu back. Also, it is willing to give only IT, not Telecom to DMK. Dayanidhi Maran is the frontrunner for IT.

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Civil Aviation - Praful Patel is the current minister. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jyotiraditya Scindia are the other contenders.

Surface Transport - may go to the NCP, which makes Praful Patel one of the top contenders.