Shah’s Karnataka schedule delays BJP’s J&K reshuffle

State leaders back from Delhi, next move likely after Durbar move

JAMMU: The probables in BJP for the ministerial berths in the coalition government will have to wait for confirmation of their names while tense moments await those have the danger of removal from the current positions looming large over them as the busy schedule of the national president Amit Shah- ‘pre-occupied’ in Karnataka assembly polls has delayed the ‘ministerial reshuffle’ of BJP quota in J&K for few more days, party sources informed.

As if the uncertainty over the names was not enough, the much elusive meeting to decide the names of BJP’s new faces was finally held today evening at party headquarters in national capital, but without the participation of national president Amit Shah, who remained busy with strategic meetings on Karnataka polls.

“The meeting of BJP’s J&K unit leaders was headed by party’s national general secretary and the point man for PDP-BJP coalition government, Ram Madhav and the names of all probable for ministerial berths were discussed in the meeting,” party sources said.

They said, “The state BJP president Sat Sharma, state general secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and and MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh participated in the meeting and apprised the high-command about the profiles of all frontrunners who are in the list of state BJP unit for new ministers under party quota in state coalition.”

After the meeting got over, Dr Nirmal Singh, state president Sat Sharma and state general secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul flew back to Jammu and reached here at 8:40 pm in a state plane which has earlier flown Dr Singh to Delhi this afternoon after attending the cabinet meeting in winter capital.
Pertinently the state cabinet meeting was preponed from its scheduled time i.e. 04:00 pm to 11:00 am as Dy CM was to attend the important meeting in national capital that too on Tuesday to discuss probable reshuffle in BJP ministers.

The BJP general secretary (Organization) Ashok Koul, while talking to The News Now confirmed that due to busy schedule of party’s national president in Karnataka polls, the crucial meeting over J&K’s new ministers was delayed and it may take place later this weekend.

Koul also said that the state BJP leaders have returned back to Jammu.

Meanwhile the party sources confirmed the same, asserting that the date for next meeting has not been finalized. They said, “Once Mr Shah will be available at party’s New Delhi office the date shall be flagged.”

“As the state BJP have detailed discussions on the names of probables with Ram Madhav and now he will convey the same to the party president and if required these three leaders from J&K will call to Delhi to have another meeting with Amit Shah and then final stamp will be put on,” added sources.

“BJP which already has dropped two cabinet ministers, Lal Singh and Chander Parkash Ganga is likely to drop three more ministers,” sources said.

They said, “Now all eyes are on BJP high-command as around a dozen BJP legislators including MLAs and MLCs are hoping to get ministerial berth while uncertainty hovers upon some sitting ministers- particularly two cabinet and one MoS.”