Several senior members of the Cabinet and Ministers of State have submitted their resignations. It happened few hours before the Union Council of Ministers’ major expansion to make room for the new arrivals into PM Modi’s team.
A total of 43 new and old faces, including two from Odisha, Rajya Sabha member and ex-IAS officer Ashwini Vaishnav, and Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha member Bisheswar Tudu, are expected to be admitted into the Cabinet tonight at 6 p.m.
The Modi government has stressed the importance of adequate regional representation in the council. According to reports, 12 SC, 8 ST, and 27 OBC ministers are likely to be selected.
The list appears to have been compiled with the 2022 Assembly Elections in mind This will take place in five states, including Uttar Pradesh.
Many of the resigned party leaders are thought to have been given responsibilities for the elections.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and Education Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal are among the senior leaders who have resigned.
Others who have left the council of ministers include Union MSME Minister 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, and Minister of State for Jal Shakti Ratan Lal Kataria.
Apart from that, Babul Supriyo, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Climate Change, has also resigned.
