Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Uma Bharati Resign Ahead Of Likely Cabinet Reshuffle
Rajiv Pratap Rudy resigned ahead of speculations of Cabinet reshuffle.
A reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers appeared imminent with minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy resigning on Thursday night amid speculation that some more ministers may quit ahead of the exercise expected before Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for China on Sunday.
BJP chief Amit Shah, who held a meeting with some senior ministers at his residence in the morning, met Modi later in the day. More ministers may resign as Modi prepares to induct new faces, including those from the JD(U) and AIADMK, into his council of ministers, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Rudy is expected to be given an organisational assignment in the BJP, people close to him said. Kalraj Mishra, who had met Shah on Thursday, may also resign, they added. Mishra is well above 75 years, the age bar the party has informally set for ministers.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey was appointed Uttar Pradesh BJP president in place of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, creating one more vacancy in the Council of Ministers.
The reshuffle may take place before Modi departs for China to attend the BRICS summit. Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati has also reportedly offered to quit on health grounds.
AIADMK’s Thambi Durai and K Venugopal are being seen as among likely representatives of their party in the Cabinet if the Tamil Nadu party joins the Modi government. At least two members of the JD(U) are also likely to join.
There are several vacancies in the government while some senior ministers, including Arun Jaitley and Harsh Vardhan, are holding additional portfolios.
The president is scheduled to leave for Tirupati tomorrow. As of now nothing has been communicated to Rashtrapati Bhawan, as per sources.
