Rajasthan ministers resign en masse before cabinet rejig

Rajasthan Chief Minster Ashok Gehlot has accepted a slew of resignations from cabinet members ahead of the cabinet reshuffle which is predicted to end in the swearing in of a brand new set of ministers at the Raj Bhavan in Jaipur on Sunday.

The Congress is expected to land a comfortable majority in the 200-seat government with Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot looking to expand his influence in the state and beyond by inducting several of his own supporters into the new cabinet. Several rounds of talks have been called between Pilot and central Congress leadership in Delhi regarding the matter, with Sachin Pilot himself looking at a ministerial role since his rebellion agains Gehlot last year.

Several BSP MLA defectors who joined the Congress ahead of elections may also be given seats according to reports. Dotasra, president of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), said he has resigned from his ministerial post citing the 'Ek Pad Ek Vyakti' discipline of Congress.

"Keeping the 'Ek Pad Ek Vyakti' discipline of the Congress party, we have given our resignations to party president Sonia Gandhi. I will work as a party worker to see that the people in Rajasthan are getting the benefits of the state government's schemes," he said. Other ministers who resigned alongside him have also been given party posts.