New Delhi, Defence Minister: Arun Jaitley will be the new Defence Minister of India. He will be holding additional charge of defence along with the current Finance Minister portfolio.
President Pranab Mukherjee, has accepted Manohar Parrikar's resignation, as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and from the Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution.
Also as advised by Prime Minister Modi, the President has directed that Jaitley shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Defence, in addition to his existing portfolios.
The decision to appoint Jaitley as the Defence Minister of India was taken after Manohar Parrikar resigned from the post.
Manohar Parrikar resigned from the post to take over the charge of the Chief Minister of Goa. The post will be held by Arun Jaitley till Prime Minister Narendra Modi finds a new candidate.
Till now there is no candidate finalised as yet and Modi is likely to take a call in the next 10-15 days.
There were many other names doing the rounds since Manohar Parrikar resigned as the Defence Minister of India. In some circles the even the name of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauvan was also doing the rounds.
However sources in Delhi say that there is a very less chance of Chauvan, The MP chief Minister being appointed as the Defence Minister.
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