Cabinet expansion in 2-3 days, stop lobbying; Omar tells MLAs

JAMMU, October 24;

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday announced that the expansion and reshuffle of his Council of Ministers would take place within the first two to three days of next week, asserting that the names of legislators to be inducted into the Cabinet had already been finalised.

Speaking to reporters, Abdullah said he had met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and discussed the proposed Cabinet expansion with him. He had requested the Lieutenant Governor to provide a suitable time for administering the oath to the new ministers.

The Chief Minister said the exercise would involve both the induction of new faces and certain changes in the existing Council of Ministers.

In a pointed message to National Conference legislators aspiring for ministerial positions, Abdullah asked them to stop lobbying and approaching senior party leaders, making it clear that further representations would not influence the decisions already taken.

He disclosed that the list of ministers had been finalised following consultations with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and that no decision regarding ministerial appointments remained pending.

The Chief Minister also expressed displeasure over the numerous WhatsApp messages, telephone calls and lengthy representations being sent to him by legislators seeking Cabinet berths. He remarked that some aspirants had been forwarding elaborate biodata detailing their political contributions, although he was already familiar with them and their work.

Urging his colleagues to exercise patience, Abdullah said there was no reason to approach either him or Farooq Abdullah over the matter.

He reiterated that the proposed changes would be implemented within the next two to three days, subject to the Lieutenant Governor fixing the schedule for the exercise.