Kiren Rijiju Gets Additional Charge After Pashupati Kumar Paras Quits Union Cabinet

New Delhi: Union Minister Of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju was given additional charge of Ministry of Food and Processing Industries following the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras from Union Council of Ministers, a Rashtrapati Bhavan notification said on Wednesday.

“The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution,” read the official statement.

“Further, as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Shri Kiren Rijiju, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, in addition to his existing portfolio,” it added.

Paras, the president of Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP), an ally of the BJP, resigned from the Union Cabinet on Tuesday, citing ‘injustice’ as his party was not assigned a single seat in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) seat-sharing deal in Bihar for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Five seats were instead allocated to Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas), disregarding his faction’s claims.