Srinagar: All eyes are on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s much-anticipated cabinet expansion, expected shortly following the conclusion of the GST Council meeting in New Delhi. The reshuffle comes as the National Conference (NC) government completes two years in office on October 16.
Last week, Abdullah said the cabinet expansion would proceed following consultations with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah. Amid speculation that the chief minister had sought resignations from ministers, deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary refuted the claims.
“No minister has tendered a resignation,” Choudhary told reporters in Jammu.
Under Section 53(1) of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, the council of ministers is capped at 10% of the 90-member assembly, limiting the cabinet to a maximum of nine members, including the chief minister. The present cabinet comprises six members, the chief minister and five ministers, leaving three vacancies.
On social media, NC cadres remain expectant that local legislators will fill the remaining three berths. Asked if the expansion would happen immediately, NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar maintained a cautious stance: “Only Omar Abdullah knows when the expansion will take place.”
Sources indicate that beyond filling vacancies, the administration may drop or shift up to two sitting members of the council of ministers to manage internal party dynamics and preserve regional representation between Jammu and Kashmir.
{{/usCountry}}Sources indicate that beyond filling vacancies, the administration may drop or shift up to two sitting members of the council of ministers to manage internal party dynamics and preserve regional representation between Jammu and Kashmir.
{{/usCountry}}Among prospective inductees, assembly Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, a seven-time legislator with a finance background, is tipped for a cabinet role. Constitutional procedure requires Rather to formally step down as Speaker before being sworn into the executive council, with senior NC leader Mubarak Gul reported as a likely candidate to succeed him in the Chair.
For several months, the NC offered a cabinet portfolio to its electoral ally, the Congress. However, the Congress declined executive posts, opting to extend support from the outside until full statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, as the administration highlights its achievements, opposition parties, including the BJP and PDP, have labelled the government’s tenure a failure. Leader of the opposition Sunil Sharma alleged that Omar Abdullah delayed the expansion due to concern over discontent among uninducted legislators.