Sonowal resigns, Jitendra given additional charge of youth affairs

New Delhi: Sarbanand Sonowal, who was on Sunday elected leader of the Assam BJP legislature party, has resigned from the union cabinet as the minister for youth affairs and sports. President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted Sonowal's resignation from the council of ministers with "immediate effect" on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said here. "As advised by the prime minister, the President has directed that minister of state Jitendra Singh shall be assigned independent charge of the ministry of youth affairs and sports, in addition to his existing portfolios," the statement said. Jitendra Singh is currently minister of state in the ministry of development of north eastern region, the Prime Minister's Office, personnel, public grievances and pensions, and departments of atomic energy and space.