By : Alia Kashmiri

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is scheduled to administer the oath of office and secrecy to newly inducted ministers at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar at 10:30 am on Tuesday, as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah prepares for a major cabinet reshuffle and expansion.

The proposed changes come shortly after the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government completed two years in office. The exercise is expected to mark the first major restructuring of the Council of Ministers since the government assumed power, with senior party legislators likely to be considered for cabinet positions.

Under the legal framework governing Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory, the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly. With 90 elected seats in the Assembly, the cabinet can have a maximum of nine ministers, including the chief minister.

Senior National Conference Leaders in Contention

Sources said senior National Conference leaders Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Muhammad Sagar and Aijaz Jan are among those being considered for ministerial positions.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Saturday that the cabinet exercise would be completed within the next two to three days. He also indicated that the list had been finalised in consultation with NC president Farooq Abdullah.

The reshuffle could also lead to changes in the existing ministerial team. According to sources, Javid Rana and Satish Sharma may be dropped from the Council of Ministers to make room for new faces.

Arjun Singh Raju has also emerged as a possible contender for a cabinet position from the Jammu region, sources said.

Rana currently handles Jal Shakti, Forest and Tribal Affairs, while Sharma oversees Transport and several other departments. Any change in their positions would be part of a wider effort to reorganise the government’s ministerial responsibilities.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Javid Dar and Sakina Itoo are expected to retain their positions in the government under the proposed arrangement.

Nazir Gurezi May Become Assembly Speaker

The anticipated cabinet expansion could also bring a change in the leadership of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Sources said Nazir Gurezi is likely to replace Abdul Rahim Rather as Speaker if Rather joins the Council of Ministers. Such a move would require the ruling party to make arrangements for the vacant position.

The final composition of the cabinet is expected to reflect several considerations, including regional representation, political balance and the experience of senior legislators.

Current Cabinet Has Six Members

At present, Omar Abdullah heads a six-member Council of Ministers, including himself. The cabinet comprises Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary and four other ministers.

The existing ministerial team is evenly divided between the Kashmir and Jammu regions.

Omar Abdullah retains charge of departments that have not been assigned to other ministers, including Finance, Revenue, Hospitality and Protocol, and Information.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary oversees Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Industries and Commerce, Mining, Labour and Employment, and Skill Development.

Sakeena Masood (Itoo) holds the portfolios of Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare.

Javid Ahmed Rana is responsible for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs.

Javid Ahmad Dar oversees Agriculture Production, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Cooperatives, and Elections.

Satish Sharma currently handles Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Transport, Science and Technology, Information Technology, Youth Services and Sports, and Administrative Reforms, Inspections and Trainings.

The distribution of these portfolios could change depending on the final cabinet arrangement.

Congress Unlikely to Join the Government

National Conference insiders indicated that alliance partners are not expected to receive cabinet positions as part of the expansion, although a last-minute change cannot be ruled out.

The Congress, which contested the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections alongside the NC, has continued to support the government from outside. The party has maintained that it will not join the administration until full statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

Independent legislators and smaller allies, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist), are also expected to remain outside the cabinet, according to party insiders.

The decision means the reshuffle is likely to focus primarily on the ruling National Conference and its choice of legislators for ministerial responsibilities.

Omar Abdullah Asks MLAs to Stop Seeking Cabinet Berths

Amid speculation over the cabinet expansion, Omar Abdullah on Saturday urged party legislators to stop sending him WhatsApp messages seeking ministerial positions.

The chief minister said some legislators had been sending lengthy messages outlining their qualifications and experience, despite his familiarity with their political backgrounds.

“Don’t send me WhatsApp messages,” Abdullah said, adding that some messages were so long that they could be compared to books.

He said the decision on ministerial appointments had already been taken and asked party colleagues to remain patient rather than repeatedly contacting him or Farooq Abdullah.

“Whatever has to happen will happen in the next two-three days,” the chief minister said, urging legislators not to knock on the doors of party leadership to lobby for cabinet positions.

Abdullah also said that the selection process had effectively been concluded and that further messages or calls would not change the outcome.

Cabinet Expansion Expected to Shape Government’s Next Phase

The cabinet reshuffle is expected to be an important political development for the Omar Abdullah-led government as it enters the next phase of its tenure.

The induction of senior legislators, possible changes to existing portfolios and the reported likelihood of a new Assembly Speaker could reshape the government’s political and administrative arrangements.

However, the final list of ministers and any changes to the existing cabinet will be confirmed through the official announcement and swearing-in ceremony at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar.