The Congress party-led alliance won about 260 seats of a total 543 parliamentary seats in a general election, and is expected to form a new government soon, retaining key ministerial portfolios within the party.

FINANCE:

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took over the finance portfolio last December after moving Palaniappan Chidambaram to head the Home Ministry following the Mumbai attacks.

With India facing its slowest growth in six years and a yawning fiscal deficit, it is expected Singh, a former finance minister and central bank governor, will bring in a specialist.

TRADE:

Minister Kamal Nath is seen as key to India's role as a leading negotiator for emerging nations in the struggling Doha round of talks and may retain his job. Nath is also a contender for Foreign Minister, some TV channels said, with Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal a candidate for Trade.

FOREIGN:

Growing instability in old rival Pakistan, an unstable Nepal, the winding down of a 25-year-old war in Sri Lanka and Washington's Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy that also requires India's involvement are just some of the reasons why this will be a hot seat. Minister Pranab Mukherjee may retain his post.

HOME:

Security was not an issue in the election, but is clearly a concern for the government. Chidambaram is likely to retain his post.

RAILWAYS:

Colourful minister Lalu Prasad Yadav broke away from the Congress in his Bihar state. Yadav is unlikely to retain Railways, even though he is credited with turning around the loss-making behemoth and making it a Harvard business school case study.

Railways may instead go to Mamata Banerjee, the fiery leader of the Trinamool Congress which routed the left in West Bengal state.

DEFENCE:

With billion dollar defence deals lined up, AK Antony may be retained in his post, although some news reports suggest Farm Minister Sharad Pawar may get the job.

INFORMATION & BROADCASTING:

With minister Priyaranjan Das Munsi ill, Singh has held this portfolio and is likely to name a new man for the job. Local reports suggest Rahul Gandhi, heir apparent to the Congress party, may be offered this plum position. Singh has said he will try and persuade Gandhi to take on a cabinet position.