Kiren Rijiju gets additional charge after Pashupati Kumar Paras resigns from Union cabinet

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been handed over with additional responsibilities after the resignation of Pashupati Kumar Paras from the Union Council of ministers.

Rijiju on Wednesday got charge of the ministry of food processing industries as per the Rashtrapati Bhavan notification.

President Droupadi Murmu assigned Rijiju the food processing industries, in addition to his existing portfolio of the Ministry of Earth and Science.

Union Minister Pashupati on Tuesday resigned as minister of food processing industries. The minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of doing "injustice" with his Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) by excluding it from the seat-sharing deal with allies for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar.

Pashupati Kumar resigned after the BJP-led NDA announced its seat-sharing pact and gave five seats to the Chirag Paswan-led LJP (Ram Vilas), ignoring his faction's claims.

"Injustice has been meted out to my party and especially me," he said.

Pashupati Kumar joined the Cabinet as minister of food processing industries in July 2021 after a mid-term reshuffle of the Cabinet.

According to media reports, the minister has been keen to fight polls, opening the prospect of a tie-up with opposition parties.

He may explore the possibility of joining hands with the opposition alliance led by Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar to fight against his nephew (Chirag Paswan) in the Hajipur seat. Paswan has also indicated that he will be contesting from the seat, considered a pocket borough of his late father Ram Vilas Paswan.

RLJP's spokesperson told the news agency that the party leaders will meet soon to decide its next course of action but made it clear that Paras will contest elections.

Though Paras enjoyed the