New Delhi, August 26
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today effected a minor reshuffle in the Union Cabinet filling the vacancy caused by the Shiv Sena’s Suresh Prabhu by bringing his party colleague Anant Geete in his place as a Cabinet Minister.

The exercise, which was expected to be Shiv Sena-centric, had a surprise entrant in Mr Vikram Verma, a BJP Rajya Sabha member, who was also inducted as a Cabinet Minister. 

Mr Anandrao Adsul came in as the new Shiv Sena representative in the Union Cabinet having been sworn in as a Minister of State.

President APJ Abdul Kalam administered the oath of office and secrecy to the three at a simple function held at the Ashoka Hall at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this evening.

Senior Shiv Sena MP, Mr Adsul, is expected to get the portfolio held by Mr Geete, who himself was inducted into the Union Cabinet in the last reshuffle.