Just ahead of possible Cabinet reshuffle and expected Secretary-level bureaucratic rejig in a couple of weeks, power corridors are taking clue from every single move. Senior officers in a Union Ministry noticed that Secretary’s table, which was usually crammed with loads of files, cleaned up all of a sudden.

It has given way to speculation that the secretary might have been sounded for a change in his assignment on the lateral-shift basis. Since the secretary in question is considered to be competent and in the list of favourites with the present dispensation, it is conjectured that even if he is shifted from the ministry he would be given a better assignment and not an inconsequential or of any lesser importance.