Bhubaneswar: In a significant decision Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dropped Redhakhol MLA Rohit Pujari from the cabinet on Thursday. Pujari was the Higher Education Minister.
Governor Professor Ganeshi Lal removed Pujari from the cabinet on the recommendation of Patnaik. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has been given additional charge of the Higher Education Department.
Reacting to his removal, Pujari said, “I have given my best performance. Perhaps the Chief Minister expected more from me, which I could not deliver. That’s why I was dropped. I am not sorry for being dropped; I will remain a responsible team member.”
Pujari said that the Chief Minister has blessed him with many opportunities in the past few years. He has served as the District President, Chairman of the Irrigation Corporation, and MLA twice. He said that he became a minister because of the Chief Minister’s blessings.
Pujari said that he has more time to learn and that he will do the work that he is responsible for. He said that he came to know from the media that the Chief Minister had higher expectations of him than what he could deliver.
However, it is said that the Chief Minister has dropped Pujari for the poor performance of the Higher Education Department.
Pujari was inducted into the cabinet in June 2022. He is currently the MLA for the Redhakhol constituency.
