Has a Cabinet reshuffle become imperative? If yes, when would it take place? Will it be after the Independence Day celebration or before? Even as the threat of China looms over the country with a distinct probability of a high-intensity war in October-November when the terrain is unimpeded by rains and snow, the critical Ministry of Defense goes without a full-time minister. Not that there is a shortage of talent for this ministry: General V K Singh, who has been made to waste his undoubted military talent in the Ministry of External Affairs, could have been easily picked up to sort out the mess in the Defense Ministry and lay out in clear cut terms the higher directions of war. Similarly, since Suresh Prabhu may be shifted to Niti Ayog as Vice Chairman, his junior, Manoj Sinha, who is fully conversant with the functioning of the national transporter and is an engineer by profession, may be promoted as a Cabinet minister to continue the excellent work of Prabhu. A suitable replacement of Venkaiah Naidu is a dire necessity in view of the Swach Bharat Mission and Smart City Project. Smriti Irani may continue as I&B Minister till 2019 elections. It is argued that a major reshuffle has become urgent also in view of the JD(U) joining the NDA. There is also a clear possibility of AIADMK also joining the NDA. Hence, members of these two outfits may aspire to get accommodated in the central Cabinet. The reshuffle may also be necessitated by calculations for certain states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh which may go to polls along with Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is believed that Senior BJP leader Bhupender Yadav, Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan and in-charge for Bihar & Gujarat, may be awarded for his fire-fighting job and may be among the first ones to be inducted in next reshuffle.