Union minister Kiren Rijiju assigned food processing industries ministry amid political reshuffle

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been handed the additional responsibility of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, as per a notification from the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This announcement comes after the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras from the Union Council of Ministers, effective immediately.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted Paras's resignation and assigned Cabinet Minister Kiren Rijiju the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in addition to his current portfolio overseeing the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Pashupati Kumar Paras, the President of the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi the previous day. His decision to step down precedes his candidacy announcement for the Hajipur constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Paras awaits the candidate list from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the RLJP's ally urging them to allocate seats to RLJP members. He has cautioned the BJP of exploring alternative options if their demands are not met.

This development unfolds against the backdrop of internal strife within the RLJP and its parent party, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), indicative of broader power struggles within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) political circle. Moreover, the BJP's recent alliance with Paras's estranged nephew, Chirag Paswan, in Bihar further complicates the political landscape.

The assignment of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras reflect ongoing political maneuvering and alliance dynamics within the NDA ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.