Slew of resignations ahead of Cabinet reshuffle; Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Pokhriyal among those who have quit

A number of ministers in the Modi government have resigned ahead of the reshuffle of council of ministers at 6 pm today.

Health minister Harsh Vardhan, education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and labour minister Santosh Gangwar have resigned from their position.

Ashwini Kumar Choubey, MoS, Health and Family Welfare, has also resigned, along with Pratap Chandra Sarangi, MoS, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries & MSME


Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister D V Sadananda Gowda is also among those who have resigned. Others who have quit are Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre, Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri and Minister of State Babul Supriyo.

The reshuffle will be the first in the second term of the Modi government that came to power in May 2018.

New faces are expected to join Modi government with representation being given to diverse set of social groups.

The reshuffle will also lay emphasis on experience and education which means more professionals, PHDs, MBAs and postgraduates will find a place.

A meeting of the NDA members and Cabinet ministers is being currently held at PM Modi's official residence.

Most senior National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders and Union Cabinet Ministers are present in the meeting. These leaders include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, BJP leaders Meenakshi Lekhi, Sarbananda Sonowal, Parshottam Rupala, Nisith Pramanik, Janata Dal (United) leader RCP Singh, and Lok Janshakti Party leader Pashupati Paras.