Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday dropped higher education minister Rohit Pujari from the ministry.

“He has been dropped following his poor performance. The chief minister held a review of the performance of the various departments. The higher education department’s performance remained at the bottom of all the departments. That’s the reason why Pujari has been dropped from the ministry. The chief minister sent a proposal to drop him from the ministry,” said an official.

Food supplies and consumer welfare minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak has been given the additional charge of the higher education department.

Although Pujari’s performance was said to be responsible for his ouster from the ministry, many believe that his recent statement that political leaders attaining the age of 60 years should retire did notgo down well with the leadership.

Pujari later clarified that the statement was purely meant for his constituency, but it failed to pacify the anger of seniors in the party. Besides, Pujari’s equation with his department head Bishnupada Sethi, a senior IAS officer, has deteriorated hampering the department’s work. Files remained on the minister’s table for long periods annoying the administration.

The two-time MLA Puajri, 50, who represents the Rairakhol Assembly constituency of western Odisha, has also failed to build a good rapport with the senior leaders of his area. He was also not active during the Jharsuguda Assembly bypoll which was held on May 10. Despite his absence, the BJD won the seat.

“Both the political and the administrative leaderships were not happy with him, as a result of which Pujari was shown the door today,” said a senior BJD leader.