All 16 ministers in Gujarat submit resignations to CM Patel ahead of cabinet expansion
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Gandhinagar (PTI): A day ahead of the planned cabinet expansion in Gujarat, all 16 ministers except Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel resigned on Thursday, BJP sources said.
Patel will expand his cabinet on Friday, the state government had announced earlier in the morning.
"Resignations of all the 16 ministers have been taken by the party. Except for chief minister Patel, all the ministers have resigned," said a BJP source.
As per the official release, the cabinet expansion will take place at 11.30 am on Friday.
The present council of minister has 17 members including CM Patel. Eight of them are cabinet-rank ministers while the others are Ministers of State (MoS).
Gujarat, which has a 182-member assembly, can have a maximum of 27 ministers (15 per cent of the strength of the House).
Earlier this month, MoS Jagdish Vishwakarma became the new president of the state Bharatiya Janata Party unit, replacing Union minister C R Paatil.
Bhupendra Patel became chief minister for the second time on December 12, 2022.
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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
