New Delhi:
The reshuffle of the cabinet saw five ministers dropped and the resignations of two others accepted, forcing the exit of seven ministers today. They're not the only ones unhappy with the turn of events.
Sources confirm that senior Congress leader from Orissa, Srikant Jena, is sulking because though he has been promoted, he hasn't been given a cabinet rank.
Mr Jena has today been made Minister of State with Independent charge of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
Mr Jena weathered the pro-BJD wave in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections to win the Balasore Lok Sabha constituency; he was among six Congress leaders from the state to be elected to Parliament.
His resentment over not being made a cabinet minister has been widely known in political circles. He met Congress president Sonia Gandhi soon after the first cabinet reshuffle in January this year to share his concern.
Mr Jena has contended that representation from Orissa in the cabinet could help revive the Congress in the state.
He was a Cabinet Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism in the 11th Lok Sabha.