With Dharmendra Pradhan stepping down as Union Education Minister on Saturday, speculation is mounting that Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde could be next in line for the post, according to reports.
Shinde, aged 39, represents the Kalyan constituency in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha and is the son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Reports indicated that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde have travelled to Delhi to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah for discussions around Shrikant Shinde’s possible entry into the Union Cabinet.
Shinde’s political stock has risen sharply in recent months. Reports suggest he was instrumental in what has been referred to as ‘Operation Tiger,’ an effort that saw six Lok Sabha members from Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) switch allegiance to the Shinde faction, pushing its Lower House tally up to 13 seats.
Pradhan’s resignation came earlier in the day, following intense protests organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) at Jantar Mantar over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination. Sharing his resignation on X, Pradhan expressed distress over how events had unfolded in recent days and confirmed that he had forwarded his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
While stepping down, Pradhan stood by the Centre’s handling of the NEET paper leak issue, maintaining that the government had responded swiftly to the crisis. He added that his broader goal had always been to build an education system that gives the country a strong foundation. He explained that ensuring a smooth examination process for the more than two million students involved had been his top priority throughout, and that he had taken ownership of the situation from day one rather than deflecting responsibility. He said his consistent aim had been to prevent deserving students from being penalised because of the controversy surrounding the exam.
The CJP, which had been leading the protest movement and had repeatedly targeted the Centre over the NEET paper leak, welcomed the resignation, describing it as a victory for India’s democratic and constitutional principles. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke was seen celebrating alongside supporters following the announcement, stating that the outcome showed that sustained public resistance could force accountability, even resignations, from those in power.
