In a major development, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday got additional charge of Information and Broadcasting ministry after Venkaiah Naidu quit the post after being nominated as NDA pick for the vice presidential election, India Today reported. Naidu was nominated at the BJP Parliamentary board meeting here attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior party leaders. The 68-year old Naidu was holding the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Housing and Urban Affairs.
Moreover, Urban development portfolio has been given to Narendra Singh Tomar.
Earlier, in the day, Venkaiah Naidu had resigned as Union minister from the posts of Ministry of Urban Development and I&B.
Naidu is pitted against Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who was chosen by an alliance of 18 opposition parties, including the Congress. The electoral college for the August 5 election consists of 790 MPs of the two chambers of Parliament. Tuesday is the last day for the filing of nominations.