Harsh Vardhan, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank among big names who resigned ahead of reshuffle

(File Photo: PIB)


As was speculated, a few of the heavyweight ministers are resigning before the cabinet reshuffle of the Modi government this evening.

As per the reports, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has quit probably on account of the gaps in the management of the Covid second wave which took on monstrous proportions.

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. Gangwar may have faced flak for the migrants’ crisis during the peak of the Covid pandemic.

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

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; Raosaheb Patil, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; Ashwini Chaubey, Health; and Babul Supriyo have all resigned.

Among the existing MoS, Anurag Thakur, G. Kishan Reddy and Parshottam Rupala are set for promotion.

Some of the probable are—Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sarbananda Sonowal, Narayan Rane, Pashupati Paras, Anupriya Patel, Pankaj Chowdhury, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Ramshankar Katheria, Varun Gandhi, RCP Singh, Lallan Singh, Rahul Kaswan, CP Joshi, Sakaldeep Rajbhar, and Ranjan Singh Rajkumar.

(With IANS inputs)