New Delhi, Apr 06: Rural Development Minister Shanta Kumar today resigned from the Union Cabinet after he came under attack from the BJP leadership for indiscipline which was cited as one of the reasons for the party's debacle in the recent assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh. Kumar, a former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh, met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee this evening shortly after latter's return to the capital and submitted his resignation, sources said. The BJP tonight declined to comment on the issue, but said the party would take a strong view of acts of indiscipline. Though refusing to specifically comment on the Shanta Kumar issue, party spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said "on issues of discipline the party would take a strong stand and those not adhering to the party discipline would be dealt with in a strong manner." Vajpayee forwarded Kumar's resignation to President A P J Abdul Kalam for acceptance. Urban Development Minister Anant Kumar is likely to be given additional charge of rural development ministry.

BJP's top leadership including Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and party president Venkaiah Naidu had cited indiscipline as the prime reason for its defeat at the hustings in Himachal Pradesh.

The resignation comes two days after Venkaiah Naidu said at the crucial national executive meeting in Indore that "the standards of discipline in the Himachal unit (of BJP) let the party down badly."

Bureau Report