The Hindu : Union Minister Shanta Kumar quits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 07, 2003

Front Page

Front Page

Union Minister Shanta Kumar quits

By Vinay Kumar

NEW DELHI APRIL 6. The Rural Development Minister, Shanta Kumar, has resigned from the Union Cabinet. He met the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, this evening and submitted his resignation, official sources said.

The Prime Minister has accepted his resignation and forwarded it to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for acceptance, sources said. On the advice of the Prime Minister, the President later accepted Mr. Kumar's resignation.

The Urban Development Minister, Ananth Kumar, has been asked to handle the additional charge of the Rural Development Ministry.

The resignation of Mr. Kumar, who hails from Himachal Pradesh, had been doing the rounds in party circles ever since the ruling BJP suffered a humiliating defeat in the recent Assembly elections there.

Mr. Kumar invoked the wrath of the party bigwigs after his outspoken criticism of the BJP-led Prem Kumar Dhumal Government which, he said, had failed to perform to the satisfaction of the people in the hilly State. It was felt that the public display of resentment against his own party's Government at the time of elections in the State had cost the BJP dearly at the hustings and only helped bring to the fore the internal squabbling and instances of gross indiscipline.

Even at the just-concluded Indore national executive of the BJP, indications were available that Mr. Kumar could be shown the door. It was felt that a tough action needed to be taken against him to send a stern message to the party leaders and cadre that indiscipline would not be tolerated, particularly in a year which would witness the BJP facing the challenge of elections to the four State Assemblies of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.

PTI adds:

Taking note of Mr. Kumar's resignation earlier in the day, the BJP tonight declined to comment on the issue but said it would take a strong view of acts of indiscipline. The resignation comes in the wake of the party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu's speech at the recent national executive committee meeting in Indore taking strong exception to acts of indiscipline in the party.

Refusing to specifically comment on the resignation, the party spokesman, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, said "on issues of discipline the party would take a strong stand and those not adhering to the party discipline would be dealt with in a strong manner".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

Coalition troops encircle Baghdad

First US plane lands in Baghdad

Union Minister Shanta Kumar quits

Govt. machinery geared up to tackle SARS

Agni-III test-fire this year: Fernandes

Aishwarya not to act with Salman

'Cannot be withdrawn'

Countdown tomorrow

Anti-VAT rally