Indian Finance Minister Jaitley opts out of new government
Posted May 29, 2019 1:58 am.
NEW DELHI — India’s finance minister, who carried out Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic initiatives including tax and welfare reforms, has decided not to join Modi’s new government to be sworn in Thursday, citing health reasons.
Arun Jaitley, who underwent a kidney transplant last year, on Wednesday released a letter he wrote to Modi saying he would like to stay away from any responsibility in the new Cabinet.
Jaitley was a key figure in the government as well as in handling the affairs of Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
He took a three-month break from work last year after undergoing the transplant surgery. In January, he travelled to the United States for a medical checkup.
The Associated Press
