Srinagar, Oct 26 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is set to reshuffle his Council of Ministers on Tuesday, with three incumbent ministers—Javid Ahmad Dar, Javed Ahmed Rana and Satish Sharma, likely to be shown the door, while senior National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar and Ramban MLA Arjun Singh Raju are among those being considered for induction, sources familiar with the developments told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Lok Bhavan, Srinagar, at 10:30 am on October 27, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the incoming ministers. The exercise will mark the first major reshuffle of the Omar Abdullah-led government since it assumed office in October 2024.
Sources said the proposed changes are expected to extend beyond filling vacant ministerial positions, with changes in the existing Cabinet’s composition and a possible redistribution of key portfolios also under consideration. The final list of incoming and outgoing ministers has not been officially announced.
According to sources, Ali Mohammad Sagar, a senior National Conference leader with extensive experience in government, is among the likely choices for a Cabinet berth. Arjun Singh Raju, the National Conference MLA from Ramban, is also being considered, a move that could strengthen representation from the Jammu region in the Council of Ministers.
Sources further indicated that Javid Ahmad Dar, Javed Ahmed Rana and Satish Sharma may be dropped as part of the proposed reshuffle. No official confirmation has been issued regarding their exit, and the reasons for the possible changes remain unclear.
Well placed sources added that National Conference veteran Mubarak Gul is being considered for the post of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, while incumbent Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather may be inducted into the Cabinet and assigned the Finance portfolio.
Rather, a senior legislator with considerable legislative and administrative experience, currently occupies the Speaker’s chair. His possible induction into the executive would necessitate a change in the Assembly’s speakership, with Gul emerging as a likely successor, according to the sources.
The proposed changes are also expected to leave the positions of Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo unaffected. Sources indicated that both are likely to continue in their existing roles, although the allocation of portfolios across the Cabinet could be reviewed.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had earlier said that the list of ministers had been finalized in consultation with National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah. He had also urged party colleagues seeking ministerial positions to stop sending messages and making repeated approaches, saying the decision had already been taken.
The expansion comes amid pressure to accommodate senior legislators and maintain regional representation within the Council of Ministers. Under the applicable framework, Jammu and Kashmir’s 90-member Legislative in Assembly permits a Council of Ministers comprising up to nine members, including the Chief Minister.
The names of those likely to be inducted or dropped, as well as the proposed changes involving the Speaker and Finance portfolio, remain subject to official confirmation ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony. [KNT]
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