By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Orissa’s Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout Monday resigned from the cabinet a day ahead of a cabinet reshuffle.
Rout who was also holding charge of the department of cooperation, fisheries and animal resources development said he has submitted his resignation papers on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s instruction.
“He told me to resign, I resigned. It is his (chief minister’s) prerogative to decide who will be his ministers,” Rout told reporters, adding he was not not aware of the reason why he was asked to quit.
Rout was facing criticism for the past several months for his allegedly objectionable remarks against some public representatives and officials at a public meeting last year in his home district of Jagatsinghpur.
Chief Minister Patnaik said he will reshuffle his ministry and some new ministers will be sworn in Tuesday.
“The swearing in ceremony of the new ministers will take place tomorrow,” Patnaik told reporters without revealing any further details.