New Delhi: Almost a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi made big Cabinet changes, Minorities Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla and MoS for Heavy Industries GM Siddeshwara today resigned from the Council of Ministers.
"The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Najma A. Heptulla and G.M. Siddeshwara," a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said.
MoS Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has now been given independent charge of the Heptulla’s Ministry, it said.
Siddeshwara’s job will be taken over by Babul Supriyo, who was junior minister for Urban Development.
The BJP leader from Karnataka had been asked to resign before the Cabinet reshuffle but he bought more time citing his birthday.
There was speculation last week when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook the reshuffle that Heptulla and Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises Kalraj Mishra, who had recently turned 75, could be asked to quit.
Modi is believed to have set an age bar of 75 years for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'.
With today's resignations, the Council of Ministers now has 76 ministers against the permissible limit of 82.
Resigned due to personal reasons: Najma
Najma Heptulla said that she has resigned so due to "personal reasons" and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving her the opportunity to "serve" the people.
She also said she will be available for any responsibility given to her in future.
"I am extremely thankful to the Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity and honour to be in his Cabinet where I gained a lot of experience and have tried to fulfil his expectations towards 'sabka sath sabka vikas'. I will always be available for any responsibility given to me in future. I have resigned from my post due to personal reasons," she said.
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