Union Minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi resigns as his term as Rajya Sabha MP will end tomorrow. Naqvi has not been given a ticket in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha elections.
The Union Minister for Minority Affairs resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet on Wednesday and handed over his resignation to the Prime Minister. The Union Minister’s tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP will end on July 7, 2022. He was also denied a ticket in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha polls. Naqvi was also the deputy leader of the BJP in the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier in the day, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a cabinet meeting for his service as a minister to the nation. After the meeting, Naqvi met Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda at the latter’s residence. There is speculation going on in the country’s political scenario that the senior BJP leader may be appointed as Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, replacing the current LG, Manoj Sinha. The Election Commission is also planning to conduct Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir before the end of the year. And in order to appoint him as Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP has decided to not name him as a Rajya Sabha candidate.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as Vice President?
The country will get its next Vice President on August 6, 2022. Current Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu’s term as Vice President will end on August 10, 2022. The last date for nominations to contest the elections for Vice President is July 19. As per reports, along with Naqvi, the names of Kerela Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, former Union Minister and former Governor of Manipur Najma Heptulla, and former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh are also in the fray for the post of Vice President.
The BJP has also been planning to name a representative from the minority for the post of Vice President, especially after the comments made by Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad.
Smriti Irani has been given additional charge of the Minority Affairs department.
Smriti Irani, Union Minister for Women and Child Welfare, was given additional charge of the Minority Affairs department after incumbent Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi resigned from the Narendra Modi cabinet. As advised by the Prime Minister, the President has directed that the Amethi MP will be assigned the charge of the ministry of minority affairs. Naqvi, who was in charge of the Minority Affairs department since 2016, was the only Muslim face in Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet.
There is speculation that Naqvi could be named as the NDA’s candidate for the upcoming Vice President polls. The speculation grew after Modi praised Naquvi’s role as a minister in the cabinet meeting held today. Naqvi was also deputy leader of the BJP in the upper house.
