New Delhi : While the Opposition is adamant on the resignation of Law Minister Ashwani Kumar for having interfered in the preparation of CBI’s status report on probe into Coalgate, sources said on Friday that he could escape the axe.

Kumar, at the most, is likely to be shifted from the Law Ministry and given another portfolio, sources added. It is believed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is of the view that if the Law Minister quits, he too would come in the line of fire.

However, the same is not the case for Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal who is facing calls for resignation in the wake of his nephew’s arrest in a Railway bribery case.

While Ashwani Kumar yesterday attended the Cabinet meeting, Bansal skipped it fuelling speculation that his days in the government are numbered.

The decision on the two ministers is a “matter of time” after Congress’ Karnataka win and Parliament’s adjournment sine die.
 
The Congress core group is meeting at 5:30 pm tomorrow and could take a final call on the ministers then.

As per sources, Congress president has expressed her views on the two ministers and is not keen on ministers’ continuation facing allegations of corruption.

The Prime Minister yesterday met President Pranab Mukherjee fuelling speculation that changes in the Cabinet are imminent.