Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan submitted his resignation on Wednesday ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s big cabinet reshuffle, according to reports. Harsh Vardhan also holds the portfolio for Science and Technology and Minister of Earth Sciences. Harsh Vardhan’s resignation comes at a time when the Modi government and the Health Minister in particular have faced massive criticism for the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Two other Union ministers - Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Santosh Gangwar - have also tendered their resignation citing health reasons. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank was Union Education Minister while Santosh Gangwar was Union Labour Minister. Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre and MoS for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri also resigned from the Union Cabinet on Wednesday.
Ahead of the Union Cabinet expansion on Wednesday evening, ministerial probables met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence. Those meeting Modi included BJP's Narayan Rane, Sarbananda Sonowal, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Ajay Bhatt, Bhupender Yadav, Shobha Karandlaje, Sunita Duggal, Meenakshi Lekhi, Bharati Pawar, Shantanu Thakur and Kapil Patil, JD(U)'s R C P Singh, LJP's Pashupati Paras and Apna Dal's Anupriya Patel.
Some ministers of state, including G Kishan Reddy, Parshottam Rupala and Anurag Thakur, were also there, and they may be elevated, sources said. 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 RK Singh, Mansukh Mandaviya and Hardeep Singh Puri may also be promoted, they said.
BJP President JP Nadda was present during the meetings.
The expansion exercise is scheduled to be held at 6 pm at Rashtrapati Bhawan. 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.
(With PTI inputs)