A reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers appeared imminent with minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy and Umar Bharti resigning on Thursday night amid speculation that some more ministers may quit ahead of the exercise expected before Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for China on Sunday.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah, who held a meeting with some senior ministers at his residence in the morning, met Modi later in the day.
Sources said more ministers may resign as Modi prepares to induct new faces, including those from the Janata Dal-United and the All Indian Anna Dravidra Munnetra Kazagham, into his council of ministers.
Rudy, who was holding the portfolio of skill development and entrepreneurship and represents Bihar's Saran Lok Sabha constituency, is expected to be given an organisational assignment in the BJP, sources close to him said.
Sources said Kalraj Mishra, who had met Shah on Thursday, may also resign. He is well above 75 years, the age bar the party has informally set for ministers.
Earlier in the day, Union minister Mahendra Nath Pandey was appointed Uttar Pradesh BJP president in place of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, creating one more vacancy in the Council of Ministers.
The reshuffle may take place before Modi departs for China to attend the BRICS summit.
There are several vacancies in the government while some senior ministers, including Arun Jaitley and Harsh Vardhan, are holding additional portfolios.
Sources say Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who holds additional charge of defence, is likely to shed one of the two ministries before he leaves next month for Japan, where he is to attend the annual defence ministers’ conference.
Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu has already offered to quit after three train derailments earlier this month. Prabhu may be given the charge of the environment ministry.
The president is scheduled to leave for Tirupati on Friday. As of now nothing has been communicated to Rashtrapati Bhavan, as per sources.
-- With inputs from Agencies
