Najma quits

The 64-year-old MP for Davangere in Karnataka was on the list of six ministers who were to be dropped. But he had requested the party to postpone his exit as his birthday is on July 5 and his supporters had hosted a party in his constituency. He sent his resignation to the Prime Minister later.

Kalraj Mishra, the minister for micro, small and medium enterprises who turned 75 on July 1 was retained in view of next year’s Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. Mishra is one of the tallest Brahmin leaders of the BJP in the country’s most populous state that the party is desperately trying to win. Singer-politician Babul Supriyo, the BJP’s West Bengal MP and junior minister in the urban development ministry, will replace Siddeshwara.

The Karnataka leader’s stint in the ministry was lackluster and his performance failed to impress Modi, sources said. Siddeshwara belongs to the influential Lingayat community in Karnataka, but the party could afford to lose him as former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa is back as Karnataka BJP chief. Yeddyurappa is a Lingayat too.

Supriyo’s shunt to heavy industries cannot be interpreted as a good appraisal. His performance in the urban development ministry has been unimpressive and senior minister M Venkaiah Naidu was said to be unhappy with him.

Five ministers were dropped in Modi’schopandchurnlastTuesday when he expanded his council of ministers to 78, inducting 19 new faces. The biggest casualty was Smriti Irani, shifted from HRD to the unglamorous textiles ministry.