New Delhi: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on July 1 did not rule out the possibility of Trinamool Congress leader Mamta Banerjee rejoining his Cabinet but said that there will be no major reshuffle in the near future.

On whether he would undertake another reshuffle, Vajpayee said after the July 1 swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan that he did not foresee any major expansion in the near future. "No major changes after this."

To another question as to what portfolio Banerjee could be given, he gave no reply but President K R Narayanan, seated by his side, quipped in a lighter vein "that's a difficult question".

On how he perceived elevation of L K Advani as Deputy Prime Minister, Vajpayee said, "He has become DPM. I will get assistance."

Highly-placed sources said Defence Minister George Fernandes was in touch with the Trinamool leader and that he had not given up hope over her rejoining the ministry.

"There are some cobwebs which need to be cleansed," they said, adding so far Banerjee's party has been offered two berths, one Cabinet and a Minister of State.

Banerjee is understood to be peeved over the Prime Minister not accepting her demand for re-induction as Railway Minister.

She is also said to have raised the issue of parcelling out of Hajipur division from Eastern Railways to the proposed East-Central Railway and demanded that status quo should be maintained.

PTI