West Bengal Agriculture Minister Moloy Ghatak has resigned, the state government announced Monday.
A state government notification said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted Ghatak's resignation. She will herself look after the agriculture ministry.
Sources said an angry Banerjee had sought Ghatak's resignation after her hand-picked candidate Dola Sen lost to Bharatiya Janata Party's Babul Supriyo from the Asansol Lok Sabha constituency.
A section in the party had held Ghatak, a lawmaker from the Asansol North assembly seat, responsible for Sen's defeat.
Ghatak was not available for comment.