Pokhriyal, Dhotre resign from Union Cabinet

Team Udayavani, Jul 7, 2021, 2:42 PM IST

New Delhi: Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre resigned from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, according to sources.

Pokhriyal, who tested positive for COVID-19 on April 21, was admitted to AIIMS in June again following post-Covid complications. He has resigned from his post citing health reasons.

The former Uttarakhand chief minister took charge as the HRD Minister in May 2019. There, who represents the Akola constituency of Maharashtra also took charge as MoS for Education, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology, in May 2019.

Their resignations come ahead of the expansion of the Union Cabinet scheduled this evening.

Apart from them Union minister DV Sadananda Gowda, Santosh Gangwar and Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri also have quit.

Sources added that around 43 persons, including those getting a promotion, may take oath, and they will be a mix of youth and those with administrative experience, including former chief ministers.

Union ministers R K Singh, Mansukh Mandaviya and Hardeep Singh Puri may also be promoted, they said.

BJP president J P Nadda was present during the meetings.

This will be the first reshuffle in his Council of Ministers by Modi since he assumed charge for a second term in May 2019.

The prime minister is expected to bring in young faces and give representation to various social groups and regions in the reshuffle.