Week after rejig, Najma Heptullah quits Modi Cabinet

Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla, who had crossed 75 years, resigned on Tuesday from the Union Cabinet along with Minister of State for Heavy Industries G M Siddeshwara.

Announcing their resignations, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said these have been accepted.

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'.

The Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who was Heptulla's deputy, has been assigned the Independent charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

According to government sources, Heptulla, 76, was out of country and therefore could not submit her resignation on July 5 though she had decided to do so.

G M Siddeshwara, 64, Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, too was out of Delhi and could not submit his resignation on July 5, sources said, adding that on return of the prime minister from abroad, they submitted their resignations, which have been accepted.

Siddeshwara, a Lok Sabha member from Karnataka, is believed to be among those who were asked to resign in the reshuffle on July 5 but he, sources said, had sought more time due to his birthday on the same day.

Babul Supriyo has been relieved of his existing portfolios as Minister of State for Urban Development and also Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation.

He has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

While Heptulla has resigned, Mishra remains in the Cabinet despite crossing 75 years. It is believed that he has been retained considering the crucial Uttar Pradesh assembly polls early next year as he is noted Brahmin leader from the state.

Najma Heptulla said she has done 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.

Five ministers of state, Nihalchand, Ram Shankar Katheria, Sanwar Lal Jat, Manuskhbhai D Vasva and M K Kundariya were dropped in the reshuffle.

Image: File photo of Najma Heptulla with Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi at a function in New Delhi in Oct 2015. Photograph: PTI