Arteev Sharma
Jammu: Uncertainty continues to prevail over the much-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle in the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference-Congress coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, with no clarity yet on its timeline or the reasons behind the prolonged delay, even as the government has completed two years in office.
The delay has assumed significance in the wake of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s October 7 announcement that he would consult his father and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on the proposed reshuffle after attending the GST Council meeting on October 8. However, no concrete decision has been taken so far.
Prior to that, the chief minister had reportedly deferred the proposed Cabinet expansion nearly five times, amid the apprehensions that the move could trigger internal dissent and deepen rift within the ruling National Conference.
“It is yet not clear what has been stopping the party’s top leadership from carrying out the much-awaited Cabinet expansion, although the leadership has never ruled it out from any such rejig. The repeated delays are giving political opponents, particularly the BJP, an opportunity to fuel speculation about an internal rift,” sources within the National Conference told The News Now.
Sources said the chief minister has reportedly been grappling with the challenging task of balancing competing demands from party legislators as he prepares for the proposed Cabinet reshuffle.
Reports suggest that the chief minister may induct five new ministers while dropping two sitting ministers, bringing the strength of the Council of Ministers to its maximum permissible limit of nine, including the chief minister. “Any move to drop sitting ministers could trigger resentment among those removed, while inducting new faces without accommodating others could upset legislators who have been waiting for ministerial berths all along,” sources said.
They added that reports suggesting a preference for old horses and experienced leaders over younger and first-time legislators, if accurate, could further complicate the party’s political calculations.
Sources further claimed that the political implications of Srinagar Lok Sabha member Syed Agha Ruhullah Mehdi’s announced decision to resign from the party on November 3 may also be influencing the timing of the reshuffle. “Chief Minister is possibly waiting for Ruhullah’s resignation to see its potential impact on the party,” sources said.
Ruhullah, who has been quit vocal on Article 370 and the reservation policy, has differed with the party’s top leadership on key issues.
According to sources, Ruhullah enjoys considerable support among young people, particularly in parts of central Kashmir, making his political position a factor in the party’s internal calculations.
“Accommodating legislators perceived to be close to Ruhullah could upset the chief minister’s loyalists, while overlooking them could deepen discontent among sections of the party. There is a strong possibility that the party is waiting to assess the political implications of his announced resignation,” sources said.
What have increased the uncertainty are the predication of the Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma who has claimed a split within the National Conference and the collapse of the Omar Abdullah government following the Cabinet reshuffle.
Sharma has argued that the chief minister faces political risks regardless of whether he proceeds with the expansion. “Whether he does Cabinet expansion or not, his government will fall. If he does expansion, his MLAs will split the party. If he doesn’t, frustrated MLAs will leave him,” Sharma said, while accusing the government of failing on all fronts.
Under the applicable rules, the strength of the Council of Ministers in a Union Territory cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total strength of its Legislative Assembly. With Jammu and Kashmir having a 90-member Assembly, the Council of Ministers can comprise a maximum of nine members, including the chief minister.
