Srinagar, Oct 19: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers would take place after Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha returns to the Valley, amid growing speculation over a long-awaited reshuffle in the Omar Abdullah-led government.
Speaking to reporters in Budgam district, Dr Abdullah said the Lieutenant Governor was unwell and was currently away from the Valley. “The Lieutenant Governor was not well. He was sick. When he returns, there will be an expansion of the government,” he said.
The remarks come days after the National Conference-led government completed two years in office on October 16, with the proposed Cabinet expansion remaining a key subject of political discussion.
Asked about reports that the Lieutenant Governor could nominate five members to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, the NC chief said there was no clarity on the matter and described the reports as speculation. “These are all conjectures. Various things are being said from different quarters, but nothing has emerged yet,” he said.
On reports that NC MP Srinagar Aga Ruhullah Mehdi may resign, Dr Abdullah declined to elaborate, saying the decision rested with the parliamentarian. “If someone wants to resign, they will resign. What can we do?” he said.
Dr Farooq referred to the recent attack on buses carrying people towards Jammu and Kashmir in Haryana, saying Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had spoken to his Haryana counterpart and sought a proper inquiry into the incident. He said the CM had called for strict action against those responsible to prevent a recurrence and had also sought compensation for the damage caused in the attack.
“Certain miscreants are attempting to disturb peace and create turmoil in the country. The matter requires immediate attention from the authorities,” Farooq said.
The former Chief Minister said attempts to disturb peace required immediate attention from the authorities and urged the Central Government to take cognisance of the incident. Warning that failure to address such incidents could aggravate the situation, he stressed the need for timely intervention to prevent a recurrence.
Dr Abdullah also criticised the delay in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, questioning the Central Government over its earlier assurances on the issue. “The Central Government had promised that statehood would be restored to Jammu and Kashmir after the Assembly elections. The elections were held nearly two years ago. What has happened to that promise?” he asked.
He said NC Members of Parliament had met the Union Home Minister in January and were assured that the government would introduce the business rules defining the respective powers of the Lieutenant Governor and the elected government. “Ten months have passed, but the business rules have still not been introduced in Jammu and Kashmir,” the NC president said, adding that the delay had raised questions about the implementation of assurances made by the Centre regarding the functioning of the elected government.
Dr Abdullah said the NC government was facing significant political and administrative challenges, describing its position as “walking on the edge of a sword”.
He also questioned the delimitation exercise in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging that it had been carried out in a manner that benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “The delimitation was conducted in a way that benefited the BJP, showing their dishonesty,” he alleged.
Referring to the geographical spread of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency, which includes areas in the Poonch district, Abdullah questioned the practicality of representing regions separated by difficult mountainous terrain and considerable distances.
“How is it possible for a Member of Parliament to reach Poonch and cross these mountains? There is a huge geographical distance between the two areas,” he said, pointing out that Poonch falls in the Jammu division while the Anantnag parliamentary constituency is associated with the Kashmir division, and arguing that the geographical challenges should have been taken into account during delimitation.
