Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday accepted the resignations of 10 ministers ahead of the Cabinet reshuffle as “punishment” for their poor performance, reported The Indian Express. Finance Minister Pradip Amat, Law Minister Arun Sahoo, Urban Development Minister Pushpendra Singhdeo, Sports Minister Sudam Marndi and ST & SC Development Minister Lal Bihar were among those who resigned.

“I am grateful to a number of ministers who have resigned voluntarily to work for the party,” Patnaik said according to IANS. The chief minister said the Cabinet reshuffle and the revamp in the ruling Biju Janata Dal would help the government serve the people of the state better. The Cabinet, which had 20 ministers, is being reshuffled after three years.

Odisha Speaker Niranjan Puri had resigned from his post on Friday and is likely to be inducted to the Cabinet, reported PTI. Amat is likely to take over as the new Assembly apeaker, The Indian Express report added.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had won 306 of 853 Zilla Parishad seats in February 2017, up from 36 in 2012. The BJD, meanwhile, had managed to win 460 seats, going down by 191 seats compared to 2012. Handloom and Textiles minister Snehangini Chhuria may also be asked to resign after her poor performance in local bodies polls, the English daily reported.