Omar plans cabinet reshuffle shortly

SVO asked to probe corruption charges against ministers

Syed Ali Safvi

SRINAGAR, July 18: As the state government today asked state vigilance commission to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the varied allegations against some senior ministers, chief minister Omar Abdullah, is planning to carry out a major cabinet reshuffle that would include key ministers being sacked.

The chief minister, according to sources in New Delhi, had got the cabinet reshuffle proposal okayed by Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, during his three-day visit to New Delhi.

According to sources, the cabinet reshuffle, which is likely to take place in a week or two, is expected to see three senior ministers from Congress and two senior ministers from National Conference (NC) dropped from the state cabinet. All this, the sources said, was being done in the name of saving the chief minister’s ever-losing image.

“The ministers have been accused of corruption, and by removing them the state government wants to regain its lost confidence,” they said.

Pertinently, a local daily had carried a report today, accusing a senior minister of Omar Abdullah’s cabinet of having purchased a villa in the famed The Palm Tree Villas in Dubai. The daily had also accused some of the ministers of having amassed crores of rupees against the transfer of employees.

Taking cognizance of the report, the state government today asked the vigilance commissioner to conduct a preliminary enquiry to ascertain the veracity of these allegations and submit a report.

Meanwhile, the ruling National Conference has also decided to undertake first-of-its-kind overhaul in the party, which includes removal of the party president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and general secretary, Sheiklh Nazir, from their respective posts.

Interestingly, minister for finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, was recently in Dubai to receive Life Time Achievement award for his “outstanding contribution in the fields of economy, politics and social service” by the NRI Institute.

Pertinently, the chief minister, who met Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Home minister, P Chidambaram, and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi during his three-day visit to New Delhi, reached back Srinagar this evening. According to the sources, just after his arrival from New Delhi, the chief minister immediately started preparations for cabinet reshuffle and brining in new faces into his cabinet.

According to sources, the central government had also received numerous complaints of corruption against the five ministers.

“By dropping the ministers the state government is trying to regain the lost trust of the state populace that corruption will not be tolerated at any level,” sources added.

The decision is also been seen as a “timely” step taken by the Congress high command to end the internal bickerings in its state unit, and, moreover, strengthening the position of JKPCC chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz. Significantly, all the three ministers are considered very close to union minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

The sources told this paper that the three Congress ministers had wanted Azad back as chief minister of J&K after the eruption of recent political crisis in the valley. Significantly, Rather and minister for rural development, Ali Mohammad Sagar wanted their godfather, Farooq Abdullah, back as the chief minister.

“The Congress high command has thrown its weight behind Soz and after remaining silent for long it has finally decided to send a strong message to the divisive elements within the party,” sources added.

According to the reliable sources, the chief minister had expressed dissatisfaction over the working of some Congress ministers. Omar had proposed to the Congress high command about their removal from the state cabinet, and the party was likely to give green signal in a day or two.

Dismissing the reports of cabinet reshuffle as “bull-shit”, minister for PHE, Taj Mohi-ud-Din told Kashmir times that “all this is being done by some elements having vested interests”.

Meanwhile, the working committee of ruling National Conference is meeting on July 22 to undertake first-of-its-kind overhaul in the party. According to the party sources, president and general secretary of the party would be removed from their places. There are speculations that Rather and Sagar would be given prime party posts to strengthen the party at grass root level.

After then president NC, Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister inJanuary 2009, his father Farooq Abdullah took over as the party president. However, after the senior Abdullah was inducted into the union cabinet, it had a telling effect on working of the party. Now, the party high command has decided to undertake a major reshuffle in the party to strengthen it.

Significantly, the general secretary of NC, Sheikh Nazir, has not been keeping well for the last two-three months. He had suffered mild cardiac attack in March this year and was rushed to New Delhi for treatment.