Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 25
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office and secrecy to new ministers at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar at 10:30 am on Tuesday, as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah prepares to expand and reshuffle his government.
The exercise will mark the first major overhaul of the Council of Ministers (CoM) since Omar took office in October 2024.
Senior National Conference (NC) leaders Ali Muhammad Sagar, Nazir Ahmed Khan (Gurezi), and Aijaz Jan are among those being considered for cabinet positions, party sources said.
Arjun Singh Raju has also emerged as a possible contender from the Jammu region.
The reshuffle could see the departure of Javid Rana, who holds the Jal Shakti, Forest and Tribal Affairs portfolios, and Satish Sharma, who oversees Transport and several other departments, the sources said.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Javid Dar, and Health Minister Sakina Itoo are expected to remain in the CoM.
Abdul Rahim Rather, currently Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, could also join the cabinet, with Nazir Gurezi among those being considered to replace him but if Gurezi gets the cabinet portfolio, Rather would continue to remain the Speaker, sources said.
One younger MLA is also under consideration for induction into the cabinet, they said.
CM Omar said on Saturday that the list of ministers had been finalised in consultation with NC President Farooq Abdullah.
The CM also urged party legislators to stop lobbying for ministerial positions, saying the decisions had already been made.
He said some legislators had sent lengthy WhatsApp messages seeking cabinet berths and asked them not to contact him or Farooq Abdullah to press their claims.
The CoM is limited by law to nine members, including the chief minister, under the 10 percent ceiling prescribed for Jammu and Kashmir’s 90-member elected assembly.
CM Omar currently heads a six-member council, leaving room for three additional appointments within the statutory limit.
The existing cabinet is evenly divided between the Kashmir and Jammu regions.
CM Omar retains several departments, including Finance, Revenue, Hospitality and Protocol, and Information, while the other ministers handle portfolios covering public works, education, health, agriculture, rural development, transport, and other sectors.
The proposed reshuffle is expected to reflect the ruling party’s efforts to balance regional representation with the experience and expectations of senior legislators.
Alliance partners are not expected to join the expanded cabinet, NC insiders said.
The Congress, which contested the 2024 assembly elections alongside the NC, has maintained outside support for the government but has declined to join it until Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is restored.
Independent legislators and smaller allies, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), are also expected to remain outside the ministry.
The expansion comes as the NC-led administration seeks to adjust ministerial responsibilities and accommodate party leaders following two years in office.
