Jammu: Suspense prevailed over the final list of new names to be inducted into the BJP quota as Ministers in Jammu and Kashmir, as Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Sunday dashed to the national capital to meet party president Amit Shah and General Secretary Ram Madhav, ahead of the oath ceremony, scheduled for here tomorrow.
The newly-appointed Ministers in BJP quota would be sworn in here on April 30, as the names will be finalised by party national president Amit Shah in Delhi on Sunday evening, after discussion with Dr Singh and Mr Madhav.
”The list of new BJP MLAs to be inducted as Ministers has been submitted by Mr Madhav to the party national president for finalising,” party sources here said.
The oath ceremony will be held at the Convention Centre here on April 30, while Governor N N Vohra will administer oath to the new Ministers.
Mr Madhav, who is also the In-charge of J&K Affairs and Union Minister of State Dr Jitendra Singh will also attend the ceremonial function.
Sources said the high command may drop two of the Cabinet rank Ministers and elevate two Ministers of State to Cabinet rank.
On April 24, senior leaders, including Dr Singh, Party President Sat Sharma and General Secretary Ashok Koul returned without meeting Mr Shah, due to his busy schedules in Karnataka elections.
Sources further added that speculations are rife that four to five ministers may be replaced into the BJP’s fold after the important meeting, besides reshuffle in the portfolios.
Former BJP ministers Choduhary Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga had tendered their resignations, which was later accepted by Governor Vohra, after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asked for it over their alleged participation in the rally organised by ‘Hindu Ekta Manch’ in Kathua rape-murder case.
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta was also summoned to the national capital.
Party sources said that names of MLA Kathua Rajeev Jasrotia, BJP State President and MLA Sat Sharma, MLA Doda Shakti Parihar, Speaker Kavinder Gupta, MLA Marh Sukhnandan Choudhary, MLA Samba Devendra Manyal, MLA Ram Nagar Ranbir Pathania and MLA Nowshera Ravendra Raina are round the corner as new BJP faces into the Cabinet.