Mumbai: Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on September 19 night said the resignation of Union Human Resources Development (HRD) Minister Murli Manohar Joshi from the Union Cabinet following a Special Court's decision to frame charges against him and six others in the Ayodhya demolition case was a "great loss to the government".

"It is a great loss. He was an intelligent and efficient minister," Thackeray said.

"Unfortunately, we have lost a good minister but in view of the court ruling it was inevitable," the Sena chief added.

Thackeray, however, expressed happiness over the court's decision to discharge Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.

PTI