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| Cabinet reshuffle demand picks momentum | | Congress leaders to approach High Command | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Apr 5: With the Assembly having been adjourned sine die, the demand for cabinet expansion/reshuffle has gained momentum.
A local news agency quoting sources said the congress leaders have again approached New Delhi to press for an expansion and reshuffle in the cabinet led by Omar Abdullah. "Now when the session is over, there must be a cabinet expansion which is overdue since a long time," a congress MLA said.
Pertinently Congress has three and National Conference one vacancy left in the NC-Congress alliance cabinet.
Meanwhile if sources are to believed, pressure is mounting on congress high command for inclusion of MLA's from Doda, the home district of Former Chief Minster and union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the cabinet.
Sources added that congress had won 5 out of 6 seats it had contested in 2008 elections in the erstwhile Doda district. However they regretted that despite massive public support the area was not given any representation in the cabinet. "Our voters are annoyed with us for not getting a representation in the cabinet, and are asking us to rethink over our future." a senior congress MLA said.
"We are feeling heat from public who have began raising fingers against discrimination with Doda ." another MLA and congress leader from the area said.
"Union Minster Ghulam Nabi Azad also during his recent visit to Jammu and Srinagar met various congress leaders who impressed upon him to convince the high command for the reshuffle." Sources added.
This is not for the first time that the demand for cabinet reshuffle has picked up momentum. Last year also both National Conference and Congress leaders had demanded a cabinet expansion, but now sources say, that the expansion and reshuffle has become imperative in wake of two important portfolios of R&B and Education in the congress kitty having fallen to Chief Minster's lap.
R&B ministry was held by G.M Saroori who had to quit the cabinet following the allegations of helping his daughter illegally in the entrance test, whereas the Education portfolio was with Peerzada Mohammad Syed who had to surrender the ministry on the allegation of helping his foster son passing the 10th class examination in 2008. Peerzada however continues to be minster of Public Enterprises in the cabinet.
However the problem seems to be equally painful for the National Conference also with some of its senior leaders lobbying for their passage to the lone vacancy in the cabinet. Sources said that it would be a very tough call for National Conference to choose a new entrant in the cabinet as the stake holders for the lone vacancy include some stalwarts like Chaudary Mohammad Ramzan, Mir Saifullah, Dr. Mustafa Kamal and Sajad Ahmad Kichloo .
"Dr. Farooq Abdullah had told in the core group meeting that some senior ministers need to work for the party now", a senior leader of NC said adding that senior Abdullah was also in favour of giving others a chance to deliver in the government.
The Congress Chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz declined to comment. " I don't know anything about it", he said. |
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