This is a season of speculation in Delhi. For over a month now, power corridors have been rife with talks about a cabinet reshuffle that is yet to take place.Another story was added to the saga this week when Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a rare gesture, hosted a dinner for the outgoing Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka.Shah not just hosted Deka and his wife, he also posted pictures of the carefully crafted farewell where Mahesh Dixit, Deka’s successor, was also present.Not known for such public display of support, Shah fuelled speculation about Deka’s future by hosting a dinner for him and then posting warm images of the assembly from his personal X handle.Political circles in Delhi have been abuzz with whether Deka would land a major post-retirement assignment with links being established to a possible tenure in Jammu and Kashmir where Manoj Sinha is currently the L-G.There is also active talk that Sinha may eventually be brought to the Union Cabinet in which case Deka could fit perfectly as his successor.Shah’s public show of support for Deka has aided the talk further.In his X handle, about the farewell at a posh Delhi hotel, Shah said, “A veteran officer of the Indian Police Service, former Director of the Intelligence Bureau Shri Tapan Deka Ji has served with distinction across different roles throughout his career. His professionalism and dedication to service will remain an inspiration and set a high standard for young officers to live up to. I wish him all the best and a fulfilling new chapter in life on his superannuation.”Mahesh Dixit, a 1993-batch IPS officer from Andhra Pradesh cadre, has replaced Deka, a Himachal Pradesh cadre officer who has served as the IB director since 2022.Deka’s extension ended on June 30.