The resignations of Kalpataru Das and Sarojini Hembram, who were elected to the Rajya Sabha earlier this year, from the Council of Ministers, were accepted by the Governor on Friday, a Raj Bhavan notification said. Both had submitted their resignation letters to the CM earlier on the day. They would also resign formally as MlAs after Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat reaches Bhubaneswar, sources said. Das and Hembram are to take oath as Rajya Sabha members on April 23. Former Minister AU Singh Deo, who was also elected to the Rajya Sabha along with Das and Hembram, had resigned from the Rajya Sabha seat to contest the April 10 Assembly elections as the BJD nominee for the Balangir constituency. There would be a fresh election for this vacant Rajya Sabha seat, notification for which would be announced later, sources said.