| Ajaz Jan’s 22,081-vote win fails to secure cabinet berth | | Supporters remind CM Omar of promise to induct high-margin winners as ministers | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 28: While addressing an election rally at Pahalgam in South Kashmir two years ago, Chief Ministerial candidate of National Conference, Omar Abdullah, had made it explicitly clear that MLAs who win with good vote margins will become ministers in his government.
NC MLA, Ajaz Ahmed Jan won the Poonch Haveli seat by bagging 42,807 votes while the first runner up secured 20,726 votes. He won with a margin of 22,081 votes, securing a biggest win for any NC candidate.
His victory was among the most decisive wins secured by a NC candidate in the 2024 Assembly elections. After his landslide victory, NC leadership, including CM Omar Abdullah, acknowledged him as party’s star winning candidate.
“Supporters of Ajaz Jan were expecting that Ajaz Jan would be inducted into the cabinet on the basis of his performance in assembly polls and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will keep up his promise,” a NC worker told Early Times.
He said that Ajaz Jan not getting a cabinet berth has disappointed his supporters. “We were sure that he will make it,” the worker added.
NC supporters urged CM Omar Abdullah to maintain consistency in his public statements and give due consideration to the strong mandate secured by Jan. “His (Jan's) electoral performance reflected the confidence reposed in him by the people of Poonch Haveli and deserved serious consideration while deciding ministerial positions,” they said.
“Political differences should never overshadow mutual respect, dignity and the contributions of party colleagues. Public trust depends on fairness, consistency and accountability,” supporters added.
They said, “Leadership is measured not only by public statements but also by the willingness to honour commitments.”
“If performance and public mandate are important considerations, then Ajaz Ahmed Jan deserves serious consideration for a ministerial position in the government,” they said, adding that such a decision would strengthen public trust, mutual respect and unity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pertinently, CM Omar Abdullah inducted four new ministers in his cabinet on Tuesday.
LG Sinha administered the oath to MLAs Ali Mohammad Sagar, Altaf Ahmad Wani, Shamima Firdous, Saifullah Mir as Ministers, while Independent MLA Satish Sharma from Jammu was dropped from the council of ministers after 2-years. |
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