Smriti Irani given minority affairs, Scindia gets steel ministry as Naqvi, RCP Singh resign

New Delhi: Smriti Irani will be assigned a ministry of minority affairs charge, in addition to her existing portfolio of women and child development as Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi put in his papers on Wednesday, a day before his Rajya Sabha term comes to an end.

Meanwhile, Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has been given the additional charge of the steel ministry after JDU's RCP Singh resigned as the Union minister earlier in the day.

Both Naqvi and Singh submitted their resignation letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who lauded the duo during a cabinet meeting for their contribution to the country during their tenure.

President Ram Nath Kovind accepted their resignations and reassigned the Minority Affairs and Steel portfolios, which were held by Naqvi and Singh respectively.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said, "...as advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that Smriti Zubin Irani, Cabinet Minister, be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, in addition to her existing portfolio."

With Naqvi resigning on Wednesday and his Rajya Sabha term ending a day later, there will be no Muslim face in the Union Council of Ministers and among the BJP's 395 Members of Parliament.

R C P Singh, a former bureaucrat, and JD(U) leader resigned on his birthday, one year after joining the Union Cabinet from his party's quota.