Chhattisgarh minister Premsai Singh Tekam resigns

Chhattisgarh School Education Minister Premsai Singh Tekam on Thursday said he had resigned from his post as asked by the ruling Congress party.

The announcement came amid speculation that Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel was contemplating a cabinet reshuffle. "It is the discretion of the Chief Minister to keep someone in the cabinet or to remove him....I was told that the All India Congress Committee (AICC) has directed that I should resign," Tekam told reporters. He had followed the "due procedure of resignation”, he added.

Chief Minister Baghel, in a statement, said he had forwarded Tekam's resignation to the governor. Cabinet reshuffle is a routine process, said Tekam who also held the Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes and Minorities Development and Cooperative departments.

Asked about his future role, he said, “I will work for Assembly elections (due this year-end) as per the direction of the party.”

Tekam represents Pratappur Assembly seat in Surguja district. The development came a day after Chhattisgarh Congress chief Moham Markam was replaced by MP Deepak Baij. Speculation is rife that Markam will be inducted into the Baghel cabinet.