Hours before the mega expansion of the Union Council of Ministers, several key members from the Cabinet and Ministers of State have tendered their resignation to make way for the new entrants into PM Modi's team.
A total of 43 new and old faces are likely to be inducted into the Cabinet today at 6 pm including two from Odisha, Rajya Sabha member & ex-IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnaw and Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha member Bisheswar Tudu. Modi government has stressed on adequate regional representation in the council. As per reports, 12 SC, 8 ST, and 27 OBC ministers are likely to get ministerial berths.
The list seems to have been chalked out keeping in mind the 2022 Assembly Elections in 5 states including Uttar Pradesh. Many of the party leaders who have resigned are believed to be assigned organizational duties for the polls.
Among top leaders who have resigned from their posts include Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal.
Union MSME MoS Pratap Sarangi, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, MoS Women and Child Welfare Department Debasree Chaudhuri, Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre, Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Ratan Lal Kataria are the other faces who have been axed from the council of ministers.
This apart, MoS Environment, Forest & Climate Change Babul Supriyo has also tendered his resignation.