Omar Abdullah announces cabinet reshuffle ahead of J&K statehood protest
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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and vice president of the ruling National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah, on Wednesday said that he will expand and reshuffle his cabinet before the proposed protest in Delhi demanding restoration of statehood.
Speaking to reporters, Omar said two major political developments are expected to take place in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days.
He said the National Conference is finalising its strategy for the proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi over the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
The Chief Minister said the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle will be completed before the Delhi protest. He added that the NC is holding a crucial meeting on Wednesday under the chairmanship of party president Farooq Abdullah at his residence in Srinagar.
The meeting will be attended by senior party leaders to finalise the party’s plan for the Jantar Mantar protest and decide which leaders will represent the party at the demonstration scheduled on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
On the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle, Omar said the decision was taken after the recent Dachigam meeting, where party leaders felt that restructuring the Council of Ministers had become necessary to improve the functioning of the government.
The expected Cabinet expansion and reshuffle will be the first major changes in Omar Abdullah’s government since it came to power.
The Chief Minister has been facing pressure over concerns that some ministers in his Cabinet were not accessible to legislators. Several NC MLAs had raised objections during the Dachigam meeting on June 3, alleging that some ministers were not addressing public issues brought up by elected representatives.
The MLAs had said that the situation was creating a growing disconnect between the ruling party and the people.
With IANS inputs