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| Cabinet Expansion on Cards | | NC list ready, wait for Congress nominees | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, May 29: With all the political heat and dust settled down for now all the way from Srinagar to New Delhi, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is all set to expand his five-month long Ministry in next few days.
Sources told Early Times that stage is set for expansion of the coalition ministry in Jammu and Kashmir and the swearing in is likely before June 10. Omar Abdullah is expected to add 12 new faces in his 10-member council of Ministers. Of new entrants four are expected to be of the Cabinet rank, two Ministers of State with independent charge and six Ministers of State.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today dropped clear hints that his Council of Ministers would be expanded in the beginning of June. Talking to reporters in New Delhi after meeting Prime Minster Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram, the Chief Minister said the National Conference has virtually finalised the list of candidates to be inducted in the Ministry. The Congress is involved in in-house consultations to shortlist the names of the candidates. Now since the Union Cabinet has been constituted after elections, the Congress is not expected to take longer in finalization of its members for induction in Ministry. “We are waiting for the Congress list”, said the Chief Minister.
It is learnt that of the dozen faces expected to be sworn-in in next few days, seven will be from the National Conference and five from the Congress. At present the coalition ministry has strength of ten-members (including the Chief Minister). Of nine Cabinet Ministers, four are from National Conference and five from the Congress.
Meanwhile reports from New Delhi said that the Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to start internal dialogue with separatist groups. This is necessary to bring all alienated groups into the national mainstream. He did not discuss the issue of the resumption of the peace process with Pakistan.
The Chief Minister said recommendations of the working group set up by the State government on political, economic and other aspects of the Kashmir issue need to be reviewed at the level of the Prime Minister.
Asked about revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he said the matter will be taken up with the Prime Minister, when he visits the State in the near future.
He said autonomy issue is relevant. ''The Jammu and Kashmir is not an economic issue, it refers to a political solution.'' Referring to Pakistan's military operation in the Swat valley, he said, ''We need to be vigilant, we cannot lower our guard.'' ''The militants may try to sneak into our side, so we have to be vigilant,'' he said.
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