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| Expansion rumors again making rounds in political circles | | | early times reporter
Srinagar | August 20
Rumors about expansion of cabinet this week are again making rounds in the political circles as the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has set August 24 for announcing the expansion of the cabinet which is witnessing frequent deferment for the last four months from now.
Sources in power corridors told News Agency of Kashmir that following row between PDP and Congress that started from Azad’s statement in Assembly over this claim of bringing down the HRs violation during his 7 Months and further worsening of relations between the two over formers demand of Self Rule Central leadership summoned Azad to Delhi to settle the differences. Sources said that while Central leadership has asked Azad to make all preparations for expansion of the cabinet, it has also invited Mufti Sayed and Mehbooba Mufti to discuss their grviences to save the coalition from further damage. It is said that Mufti and his Daughter are meeting Sonia Gandhi tomorrow. The rumors about expansion came to fore many a times since the enactment of new law, but each time it was postponed due one or other reason. While it was expected to happen soon after the durbar move, the issue took a back seat in the backdrop of expose of in famous sex scandal which saw fingers pointing to involvement of many former Ministers.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had taken only twelve ministers at the time of change of Guard against about 38 Ministers during the tenure of his predecessor Mufti Sayed.
Later, an amendment was also introduced to limit the strength of Council of Ministry during last Budget session. However, even the new provision set almost double the number of existing 12 ministers in the cabinet. While the Jumbo Ministry in Mufti led Coalition was looked upon as an unnecessary burden on the state exchequer, about 24 ministers, there is a general feeling in the public that small number of Ministers having loaded by two to three portfolios is not delivering the goods in a proper way.
The issue once again, sources said came to fore after the murk settled down following arrest of two former Ministers, it again could not see the light of the day either due to escalation in violence or bickering plaguing the relations within the coalition over the selection of candidates. However, during all this period Azad never expressed any intention in this regard. It was only recently before the short session held here Azad said that he would rope in some more Ministers in his cabinet after the Assembly. However, the bitterness with its major partner PDP in coalition following his claim in decrease in Human Rights violation during his 8 months in office once again pushed it under the carpet.
The rumors are once again ripe in the political circles that, CM has got red signal from party head command during his recent visit to Delhi and he would be going to announce the expansion during this week. |
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