Minister of Corporate Affairs Murli Deora, for long a trusted aide of the Nehru-Gandhi family and a former treasurer of the Congress party, today confirmed he had resigned from the ministership by not attending office.
He sent his resignation letter to the Congress president, rather than the Prime Minister and followed this up by not coming to work.
No formal confirmation was forthcoming, either from the party or the government.
Fondly referred by former finance minister and BJP leader Jaswant Singh as the ‘Minister for Manhattan’ for his connections with political leaders as well as movers and shakers in the US, Deora is said to have asked for a berth for his son Milind, MP from Maharashtra.
Before being appointed minister for corporate affairs, Deora was in charge of the petroleum ministry, previously held by Mani Shankar Aiyar.
Deora’s resignation is a precursor to a much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle, expected in a few days. Large-scale changes are expected with some professionals being appointed as ministers.
A reshuffle of governors is also expected in some states. In Tamil Nadu, S S Barnala’s term has long ended, a new governor in Madhya Pradesh is to be appointed, while the position in Rajasthan is vacant and, in Goa, the governor’s term is over.