Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
srinagar, Aug 29: The first cabinet expansion of PDP- BJP government is likely to take place any time as top leaders of both the parties are of the opinion that some of the ministers have failed to perform on gross root level, Early Times has learnt.
Sources said Chief Minster Mufti Mohammad Syaeed and top BJP leadership is believed to have agreed to expand the cabinet.
However, sources said that final nod to the exercise would be taken only after Mufti, who is at the moment outside the state, will return.
There is no clarity, however, on the number of new ministers likely to be indicted in the cabinet or the number of ministers who might be sacked.
But if sources are to be believed, Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu and Education Minister Naeem Akhtar may be replaced. Hajj and Auqaf minister Abdul Rehman Veeri may also get a new portfolio.
Sources said that a PDP legislator, who is also a close relative of a senior PDP leader, is in the race for ministerial berth.
While the first expansion of the cabinet will see new faces, a few non-performing ministers may face the axe. "The cabinet might witness a reshuffle, and the coalition partners may use the opportunity to send out a strong message to non-performing ministers especially those who have failed to perform on gross root level," sources said.
They said the possible changes in the cabinet imply that people of J&K are not happy with the performance of the ministers.
Interestingly amid criticism, two Ministers of State were elevated to the rank of cabinet ministers in the recent past. Governor N N Vohra had administered oath to MoS Transport (Independent charge) Abdul Gani Kohli and MoS Cooperative (Independent charge) Chering Dorji as cabinet Ministers.
The total number of cabinet ministers in the PDP-BJP government is 25 including Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister while there are eight MOSs.
BJP have eight cabinet Ministers including Sajad Lone and three MoSs including alliance partner and Independent MLA Pawan Gupta, while PDP has 11 cabinet ministers and 3 MoSs.
Sources said BJP National President Amit Shah has received feedback from the state BJP leaders about the poor performance of its ministers.
A BJP state leader said that a delegation of BJP leaders would meet the party high command next week. |
