Former Health Minister Harsh Vardhan being dropped from the Cabinet has not gone down well with the people.

As per the IANS-CVoter Snap Poll, more than half or 54 per cent said Harsh Vardhan is alone not responsible for the hardships faced by the people during Covid-19 pandemic and is being made a scapegoat.

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The sample size of the survey is 1,200 and is based on interviews with adult respondents across all segments, however, 29 per cent disagreed with this notion.

Hopes are dim on any relief on petrol and diesel prices despite a change in guard. Fifty-five per cent said changing the Petroleum Minister and appointing Hardeep Puri will not put a check on rising prices of petrol and diesel while 34 per cent said it will.

A new Education Ministry has been perceived positively with 52 per cent saying it will improve the state of education in the country while 35 per cent disagreed.

A big surgery in the Modi government on Wednesday led to the axing of several heavyweight ministers holding key portfolios.

Most of these resignations were unexpected and not part of the usual speculation binge which takes place in the run up to a Cabinet reshuffle.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan was in the firing line because of perceived mismanagement of the Covid second wave which took a toll on millions of lives.

Harsh Vardhan had been widely criticised for the ensuing situation as the Health Ministry is seen as the nodal ministry for management of the Covid situation and vaccine administration.

Among the senior ministers, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, Sadananda Gowda, Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister and Santosh Gangwar, Union Labour and Employment Minister have also resigned.

Thawar Chand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment has been appointed as Governor of Karnataka.

Twelve ministers have resigned from the Modi government, including Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and I&B and Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

President Ram Nath Kovind has accepted their resignations, a statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

Among the Ministers of State, Debasree Chaudhuri, Women and Child Development; Rattan Lal Kataria, Jal Shakti and Social Justice & Empowerment; Sanjay Dhotre, Education; Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Animal Husbandry; Babul Supriyo, MoS, Environment; and Raosaheb Danve Patil, MoS, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution have all resigned.