Nirmal Singh quits as J&K dy CM ahead of cabinet reshuffle
Besides filling 2 cabinet berths that fell vacant following resignations by Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Parkash Ganga, BJP is likely to induct 23 new faces
JAMMU: Ahead of a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, Jammu and Kashmir deputy CM Nirmal Singh tendered his resignation on Sunday night, to pave the way for state assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta to take over the post in the PDP-BJP government led by Mehbooba Mufti.
BJP’S state unit chief Sat Sharma, MLAS from Kathua and adjoining Sambha Rajiv Jasrotia and Devinder Kumar Manyal are among the BJP faces who will be inducted into the state government as cabinet ministers, officials said.
“I have resigned from the post to pave the way for a new deputy chief minister in the state,” Singh said.
The PDP will have Mohd Khalil Band, MLA from Pulwama, and Mohd Ashraf Mir, MLA from Sonwar, as cabinet ministers, while the BJP will upgrade Sunil Sharma, at present minister of state for transport, to the rank of a cabinet minister, the officials said.
BJP MLA from Doda Shakti Raj will also be sworn in as minister of state at the oath-taking ceremony, which will be attended by senior BJP leaders, including national general secretary Ram Madhav and minister of state in prime minister’s office Jitendra Singh.
JAMMU : Governor NN Vohra on Sunday extended formal invite for the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle in the PDP-BJP alliance that will take place here in the winter capital on Monday at 12 noon.
The oath taking ceremony of the legislators being inducted into the council of ministers will be held at the Convention Centre here.governor NN Vohra will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new faces in the presence of chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.
“Nirmal Singh on Sunday left for New Delhi to meet BJP president Amit Shah and national general secretary Ram Madhav to take a final call on the new faces to be inducted in the council of ministers,” said a BJP source.
J&K legislative assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta has also reached Delhi to hold parley with the top leadership.
“The meeting is yet to take place. I have come here to meet Ram Lal (national general secretary of BJP). As of now I have no knowledge about who are going to be the new ministers,” he said over phone.
“Besides filling two cabinet berths that fell vacant following resignations by Choudhary Lal Singh and Chander Parkash Ganga from forest and industries
ministries respectively, the BJP is likely to induct two to three new faces in the cabinet,” said BJP sources privy to the development. The reshuffling within the BJP was long overdue. Sources said that among the forerunners are Jammu East MLA Rajesh Gupta, Kathua MLA Rajiv Jasrotia, Speaker Kavinder Gupta and MLC Ramesh Arora.
“Health minister Bali Bhagat is likely to be dropped. His removal looks imminent,” said
sources. Speaker Kavinder Gupta is likely to get a cabinet berth, they added.
It may also be recalled here that Mehbooba had removed Haseeb Drabu as the finance minister following his controversial remarks on the nature of Kashmir dispute. After BJP’S rejig, PDP is also likely to announce a full-time finance minister. PDP spokesman Rafi Ahmed Mir said Monday’s oath ceremony was confined to BJP only.