Srinagar, October 7 (Daily Kiran) : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Umar Abdullah has raised concerns over the recent delimitation process in the Union Territory, alleging that it has been manipulated to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah stated that the process has already caused significant harm to the region.
He asserted that the delimitation was designed to provide support to the BJP, claiming that the party is also using the Special Investigation Report (SIR) to further its agenda. While the BJP may attempt similar tactics in other parts of the country, Abdullah noted that the Supreme Court’s involvement in the matter makes it more challenging for the party to misuse Form 7 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah emphasized that if a major national daily published inaccurate reports, the government would pursue defamation lawsuits against the publication. The absence of such lawsuits, he claimed, indicates the accuracy of the reports.
On the topic of cabinet expansion, Abdullah mentioned that he would consult with party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah following the upcoming GST meeting in Delhi before making any decisions regarding cabinet changes.
According to regulations, the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet can include ten ministers, including the Chief Minister. Currently, there are six ministers, including Abdullah. He has the option to increase the number of ministers by four, reshuffle existing roles, or even remove ministers.
The Chief Minister extended an offer to the Congress party for a cabinet position, despite their six members in the 90-seat assembly. However, Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Speaker Tarik Hamid Karra has stated that the Congress will not join the cabinet until the region’s statehood is restored.
The ruling National Conference (NC) holds 41 seats, while the BJP has 29, the Congress has 6, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has 4, and there are also members from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), CPI(M), People’s Conference (PC), Awami Ittihad Party (AIP), and six independent legislators, four of whom support the NC government.
Leave a Comment