Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan resigned today, hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet reshuffle. So far, Union Ministers Debasree Chauduri, Sanjay Dhotre, Rao Saheb Dhanve Patil, Sadanand Gowda, Ashwini Chaube, Ratan Lal Kataria, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Santosh Gangwar have also left the Union Cabinet.
BJP sources say that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to form a cabinet that balances all sections. The new cabinet is expected to have 13 lawyers, 6 doctors and 5 engineers. Reports suggest that Modi has given preference to highly educated people like PhD and MBA.
It is heard that three STs and two SCs are said to be taken into the cabinet. Kiren Rijiju and Anurag Thakur, who are currently posted as Minister of State in the Ministries, are said to be promoted.
National media reports that seven of the current associate ministers are likely to be promoted. Telangana’s G. Kishan Reddy is also said to be on the list. Apna Dal(S) leader Anupriya Patel is likely to get the ministerial post in the NDA alliance. The new ministers will be sworn in at 6 pm on Wednesday.