Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is unlikely to have a new external affairs minister this week as promised by him recently during his trip abroad.
Last week, he had said he would have a full fledged minister to handle foreign affairs soon after he returns home.
With the prime minister participating in the Congress chief ministers' conclave at Nainital from September 23, swearing in of a new minister, if any, could be possible only between September 25 and 30 as he would then be leaving for a brief visit to South Africa.
Senior Congress leader Karan Singh whose name prominently figures as the new external affairs minister, is reportedly disinclined to take up the job.
He prefers the top constitutional post of President, which is falling vacant middle of next year, political sources said.
Karan Singh wants his candidature for the presidentship to be announced early because he feels Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has already started a subtle campaign for the post, sources said.
As regards Maharashtra Governor S M Krishna, there has been no consensus on his name and a section of the Congress in Karnataka is strongly against him.
The sources discounted the possibility of moving Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee to external affairs.
They said the prime minister has been relying on Mukherjee on several domestic matters and he has been heading dozens of Group of Ministers on key issues.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil is also under increasing pressure in the wake of the Mumbai and Malegaon blasts amid growing talk that he could be shifted to some other portfolio.
Kamal Nath and Kapil Sibal are mentioned as possible names for the external affairs portfolio, but the prime minister is yet to zero in on anyone.
The prime minister is reportedly also against shifting P Chidambaram from finance.
A promotion for Energy Minister Sushilkumar Shinde is being talked about and he could emerge as a dark horse in a key ministry.
The logic being given is that the Congress has very few Dalit leaders like Shinde, Meira Kumar and Mahavir Prasad.
The cooler environs of Nainital could give an opportunity to the prime minister to hold consultations with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is also the United Progressive Alliance chairperson, on the issue.