Three to Five New Faces May Join the Government Amid Speculation Over Cabinet Reshuffle
Jammu: The long-awaited cabinet reshuffle and expansion in the Jammu and Kashmir government is set to take place on Tuesday. Ahead of the exercise, five ministers submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday, triggering speculation over changes in the existing cabinet and the induction of new faces.
Three new ministers are expected to join the government. However, if two existing ministers are also dropped, the number of new faces could rise to five. There has been no official confirmation regarding which ministers may be removed.
Discussions intensified following a meeting held at the residence of Agriculture Minister Javed Ahmad Dar on Monday. According to sources, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Nazir Gurezi, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo and Arjun Singh Raju are among the names being discussed for ministerial positions.
National Conference Leaders Hold Meeting Ahead of Expansion
Before the cabinet expansion, senior National Conference leaders met at the residence of Minister Javed Ahmad Dar. Those present included Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Forest and Environment Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, Transport Minister Satish Sharma and Rajya Sabha member Shammi Oberoi, who is considered close to the Chief Minister.
Political circles viewed the meeting as significant amid speculation over the cabinet reshuffle and possible efforts to address dissatisfaction within the party. Reports suggest that some party leaders have advocated changes involving certain ministers, particularly Satish Sharma.
However, Javed Ahmad Dar described the gathering as a routine meeting and stated that the decision on who should remain in the cabinet rests with the Chief Minister.
The proposed expansion is being closely watched as it could bring changes to the composition of the Omar Abdullah-led government and provide opportunities for new leaders to join the ministerial team. The final list of ministers is expected to become clear following the official announcement and swearing-in ceremony.
Leave a Reply