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| Cabinet expansion: Aspirants to pass through LS test | | |
ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
Jammu, March 8: Even after two months in the office, there are no imminent signs of expansions of Omar Abdullah ministry as coalition partners intend to make maximum of their legislators in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Two days before taking oath of the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah had said, “first ten days of Muharram are seen inauspicious therefore, I and some members will take oath on January 5 and expansion will take place shortly afterwards”. He had also laid emphasis on another reason: The Prime Minister is chairing a meeting of Chief Ministers on internal security on January 6 and therefore I will take charge a day ahead because a sensitive state like Jammu and Kashmir must take part in this important meeting”.
Omar Abdullah’s these two statements indicated that expansion of his cabinet could be anytime in the middle of January. However, when ten Ministers (including CM) instead of six, as it was expected earlier took oath, it reflected that the ministry expansion may take time.
Two months down the line, the aspirants have exhausted all their energies for lobbying but there are no chances of expansion for next three months. Experts said that expansion of Ministry have nothing to do with election’s Model Code of Conduct and it could have been done even after election announcement but the coalition partners do not want to take a risk at this stage.
Under the law which restricts ministry size, there are 15 seats available at the moment. Sources say that the National Conference and Congress have an understanding of going for eight and seven seats respectively. At present Congress has five Ministers including the Deputy Chief Minister and there are four from the National Conference.
Looking at the aspirants, their genuine claims, regional and community aspirations the exercise is equally tough for both the coalition partners to shortlist 15 members for induction. As and when ministry is expanded eight members are likely to be inducted as Ministers of State and only seven as Cabinet Ministers. Sources point out that most of the members of NC and Congress who have returned to eleventh legislative assembly are veterans and political heavyweights and it needs a high degree of caution to avoid dissidence in the party ranks.
Selecting few for the ministry and ignoring other may annoy a large number of aspirants which may prove counterproductive in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “National Conference have well established tendency of promising ministerial berth to every MLA and making maximum of him in Lok Sabha elections or other polls –such as Rajya Sabha or Legislative Council –so that the gains are consolidated before making final choices”, said a political observer. Citing an example of 2001 Lok Sabha by-election on Jammu-Poonch seat, he said, “NC made a history by winning this seat first time ever. The simple reason was that known party activist in each assembly segment had been promised ticket for forthcoming assembly elections and they worked day and night to compete against each other”.
During 2008 election campaign, Dr Abdullah and Omar promised ministerial berths to local candidates during public meetings in every constituency. “I remember Omar Saheb saying at a rally in Gulabgarh that he will make Abdul Ghani Malik to sit in the Cabinet”, said a party worker from the area.
Insiders in the coalition say that expanding ministry before Lok Sabha elections could have proved suicidal for both coalition partners as there are uncompromising potential aspirants in many areas. For example: Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan is a veteran from Kupwara while Mir Saifullah and Kafil-ur-Rehman both have won assembly election third time in the row. While Ramzan won a difficult election and deserved to have been inducted in the first round itself but ignoring Mir and Rehman is equally difficult.
Srinagar City does not have a fair representation in the ministry the way it ‘honoured’ National Conference with a sweeping success. Among the potential contenders there are Mubarak Gul who has been winning elections since 1983 but could never become a Minister as his ultra-loyalty with the Abdullahs always took him for granted. Nasir Sogami is believed to be very close to Omar and Irfan Shah has to his credit a victory over PDP’s star leader Tariq Hameed Karra.
Sakina Ittoo and Shameema Firdous are the contenders among women and preference may go for the South Kashmir where National Conference has been wiped out. Qamar Ali Akhoon was a Minister of State in Farooq ministry till 2002 and this time is aspiring for a Cabinet berth. Tsetan Namgyal who has won as an independent from Nubra is also a strong contender.
From twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch also NC has tough choices between Radhey Shyam of Nowshera, Rashpal Singh of Kalakote and Ajaz Jan of Poonch. In entire belt of erstwhile Doda district which is comprised of seven constituencies, NC has won only one seat –Sajjad Kichloo –and he may not have a competition.
Choices for Congress are tougher than National Conference. While the Congress will have to justify with regional balance as it preferred a Deputy Chief Minister and a Cabinet Minister from single Tehsil, there are strong contenders elsewhere. Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen and Ghulam Hassan Mir, who contested elections in alliance with the Congress, are now potential aspirants for Cabinet berth even as veterans like Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam have been in the queue.
Congress may face serious problem of making choices in erstwhile Doda |
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