Gurezi absent from oath ceremony; Larmi expresses disappointment, Congress stays out over statehood demand
Srinagar, Oct 27: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Cabinet expansion on Tuesday triggered discontent within the National Conference, with supporters of senior leader Mubarak Gul staging a protest at the party headquarters in Srinagar. Anantnag West MLA Abdul Majeed Bhat Larmi also expressed disappointment over being denied a ministerial berth, while Gurez MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi was absent from the swearing-in ceremony. The Congress, meanwhile, stayed out of the Cabinet expansion, citing the restoration of statehood as a condition for joining the government.
Cabinet Expansion
Four legislators — Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani, popularly known as Altaf Kaloo — were inducted into the Cabinet. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers, taking the Cabinet to its maximum permissible strength of nine members, including the Chief Minister.
Satish Sharma was dropped from the Cabinet, reducing Jammu region’s representation from three ministers to two. With Shamima Firdous’s induction, the Cabinet now has two women ministers, alongside Sakina Itoo.
Mubarak Gul’s Supporters Protest
Mubarak Gul, a six-time MLA from Eidgah, expressed disappointment over being overlooked once again. “I have attended 30 oath ceremonies till now. Every time I was dropped, and today as well, I am being dropped,” he told reporters.
His supporters later staged a protest at the National Conference headquarters at Nawa-i-Subah in Srinagar. Meanwhile, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah appointed Gul as the party’s general secretary, replacing Ali Mohammad Sagar in the organisational position.
Larmi Expresses Disappointment
Anantnag West MLA Abdul Majeed Bhat Larmi also voiced disappointment over his exclusion, saying he had been on the list of probable ministers until Monday evening.
“My heart is broken,” Larmi told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony. He said he believed he deserved a ministerial berth but reaffirmed his loyalty to the National Conference, describing himself as a “soldier of the party”.
Gurezi Absent from Oath Ceremony
Gurez MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi was absent from the swearing-in ceremony. Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Wani reportedly later visited Gurezi at his residence. No official explanation for his absence was immediately available.
Congress Stays Out
The Congress did not join the Cabinet expansion, maintaining that it would stay out of the government until statehood was restored to Jammu and Kashmir.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had contacted Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra on Monday evening to discuss the party’s participation. Karra declined the offer, after which the Chief Minister proceeded with filling the vacant Cabinet berths.
The allocation of portfolios to the newly inducted ministers is expected to follow.
