LG to administer oath to new ministers
3 ministers may go; Sagar, Raju tipped for induction
Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to reshuffle and expand his Council of Ministers on Tuesday, with three to four legislators expected to take oath at a ceremony to be held at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar at 10:30 am, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office and secrecy.
The exercise is also likely to involve changes in the existing Cabinet, with three incumbent ministers expected to be dropped. Senior National Conference (NC) leader Ali Mohammad Sagar and Ramban MLA Arjun Singh Raju are among those being considered for induction, according to sources familiar with the developments.
Javid Ahmad Dar, Javed Ahmed Rana and Satish Sharma are likely to be dropped from the Council of Ministers, the sources said.
The final list of incoming and outgoing ministers has not been officially announced.
The proposed reshuffle could also involve changes to key constitutional and ministerial positions. Sources indicated that Assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather may be inducted into the Cabinet and assigned the Finance portfolio, while NC veteran Mubarak Gul is being considered as his successor as Speaker. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo are likely to retain their positions, although a redistribution of portfolios is also under consideration.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the incoming ministers at Lok Bhavan at 10:30 am on Tuesday. Omar met Sinha on Saturday and sought time for the ceremony.
The Chief Minister has said the list of ministers has already been finalised in consultation with NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah. He has also urged party legislators to stop lobbying for ministerial positions, saying the decision has been taken.
“Please don’t send me WhatsApp messages. I have been receiving long WhatsApp messages including bio-data and long stories as if I don’t know them. Please have patience till the swearing-in takes place. Everybody will come to know his/her destiny,” Omar told reporters.
Sources said all five incumbent ministers had submitted their resignation letters to the Chief Minister ahead of the reshuffle. The decision on whether to accept the resignations or retain any of the ministers rests with Omar.
Jammu and Kashmir’s 90-member Legislative Assembly permits a Council of Ministers with a maximum strength of nine, including the Chief Minister. The existing Council has six members, leaving three positions available for expansion. The National Conference-led government took office in October 2024 after the Assembly elections, with the initial ministry leaving scope for further expansion.
The party leadership has reportedly indicated that first-time MLAs will not be inducted into the Cabinet, narrowing the field of contenders and leaving several legislators to wait for another opportunity.
The Congress, which has six MLAs and has supported the NC-led government from outside, will remain out of the Cabinet. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra has reiterated that the party will not join the government until statehood is restored, despite an offer from Omar to join the ministry.
The reshuffle comes amid growing public dissatisfaction over what critics perceive as the government’s failure to fulfil key promises. Omar has argued that the absence of statehood has constrained the government’s functioning, but whether the new Cabinet can improve governance and meet public expectations remains a key challenge.
With the next Assembly elections due in 2029, the reshuffle could shape the ministry for a substantial part of the government’s remaining tenure. Omar has ruled out a revolt among his MLAs, but the new Cabinet will face pressure to deliver on commitments and restore public confidence. (IANS, KINS, KNT)
