UP minister from RLD quota resigns, cabinet reshuffle likely

Lucknow, Oct 4 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Minister for Rural Engineering (Independent charge) G P Pushkar has tendered his resignation from the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, which has been accepted by governor T V Rajeswar.

The Raj Bhawan accepted his resignation yesterday, an official communique said today.

Mr Pushkar is the second minister from the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) quota to have resigned in the recent past. Dr Meerajuddin, who was Irrigation Minister, had resigned last month as he was not a member of either house of the state legislature and could not have continued for more than six months in office.

Meanwhile, sources in the state government said Mr Tarachand Shastri (RLD) is liklely to be inducted in place of Dr Meerajuddin, while Khalid Chaudhury (also RLD) would be inducted in the place of Mr Pushkar, who resigned yesterday.

The cabinet expansion-cum-reshuffle could take place either this evening or tomorrow.

Both are not members of either house of the state legislature.

Sources maintained though the Chief Minister was against the resignation of Mr Pushkar, RLD supremo and former Union minister Ajit Singh prevailed upon the Chief Minister to replace Mr Pushkar.

Before Dr Meerajuddin, Mr Munna Singh Chauhan had tendered his resignation as Irrigation Minister following differences with Anuradha CHaudhury, a close lieutenant of Mr Ajit Singh. Anuradha Chaudhury was the first Irrigation Minister in the Mulayam Singh Yadav government from RLD quota. She was later made chairperson of the UP Irrigation Commission after she won the last Lok Sabha elections.

A mojor alliance partner in the ruling dispensation in UP, RLD has 14 MLAs in the state assembly and has six ministers in the government.

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