Cabinet reshuffle: President accepts resignations of seven ministers

New Delhi: Amid talks of a new-look UPA Cabinet, President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday accepted the resignations of seven Union ministers ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle, which will take place on Sunday.

Resignations of as many as four senior and three junior ministers were accepted by the President. This came ahead of the Sunday UPA Cabinet reshuffle where some major changes are expected to take place.

The senior ministers whose resignations were accepted are – SM Krishna, Ambika Soni, Mukul Wasnik and Subodh Kant Sahai. While Krishna had resigned as the Minister of External Affairs, Soni had quit as the Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

President Pranab Mukherjee accepted the resignations of Krishna, Soni, Wasnik, Sahai, Sangma, Khandela and Pala.

Mukul Wasnik and Subodh Kant Sahai had resigned as the Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and Minister of Tourism respectively. The leaders are now expected to work for the Congress party as part of the preparations for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The junior ministers whose resignations were accepted by the President are Mahadeo Singh Khandela, Vincent Pala and Agatha Sangma. While Khandela had resigned as the Minister of State for Tribal Affairs, Pala had quit as the Minister of State for Water Resources and Minority Affairs.

Agatha Sangma, whose resignation was expected ever since her father contested the Presidential election against UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, quit as the Minister of State for Rural Development.

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