In a major revamp of the Mehbooba Mufti led BJP-PDP alliance Government in Jammu & Kashmir at least one third strength of the Council of Ministry was recasted with an outgoing speaker of the State Assembly Kavinder Gupta switching sides with the sitting deputy Chief Minister Prof Nirmal Singh at a simple ceremony here on Monday.
Out of the existing strength of the Council of Ministers (25) eight new Ministers, six from the BJP and two from PDP, were administered oath of office and secrecy by the Governor NN Vohra in convention centre.
Prof Nirmal Singh had earlier tendered his resignation late Sunday evening after the party high command gave its nod to induct fresh faces in the council of Ministers to shore up party’s dented image in the eyes of the electorate.
Soon after attending the oath ceremony Kavinder Gupta advised alliance partner PDP to adhere to the coalition dharma than playing politics.
BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, who was present during the simple oath ceremony along with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and party Vice President Avinash Rai Khanna, later announced that Prof Nirmal Singh will be speaker of the State Assembly.
Defending the decision of the party high command to reshuffle the BJP team Madhav told reporters here in the party headquarters, “it is a routine practice and the aim behind bringing in new faces is to give opportunity to new faces in the party as well”.
He said the alliance Government has completed three years in office and BJP under Dr Nirmal Singh worked hard to implement partys’ developmental agenda and now the new team would carry forward the same with new zeal.
He emphatically countered media assessment that the BJP has surrendered before the PDP to stay in power.
“Nobody has surrendered,” said Madhav while replying to a query on BJP’s surrender before PDP on amnesty to stone-pelters in view of attacks on security personnel in the Kashmir Valley.
“We are acting very tough against all forms of terror either they are on streets in the shape of stone pelters or in forests as terrorists,” said Madhav during the jam packed press briefing.
Responding to some tough questions on rift between the alliance partners, Madhav said, “all is not well between the two parties is something I have been hearing for the last three years”. He said, “No coalition is easy, we are in coalition and working together to try to address the issues of the State.
There will be hiccups but our party and our leaders are competent to handle those issues and we are confident that together we will be able to deliver on all those promises made in the common minimum programme or agenda of governance.”
“There will be no leniency with those who obstruct our security forces from performing their duties,” said the BJP national general secretary during persistent quizzing.
On a question regarding newly inducted PDP Minister Mohammad Khalil Band soon after administering oath seeking dialogue with Pakistan to restore peace in the Kashmir valley, Madhav said, “what’s new in itIJ Even the Chief Minister is saying the same thing.”
“They have their own viewpoint and the Government of India will review the situations and take the decision on such calls on its own but not on the basis of anybody’s viewpoint,” he added.
Earlier, Governor NN Vohra also administered the oath of office and secrecy to state BJP Chief and most popular BJP legislator Sat Sharma, DK Manyal, Rajiv Jasrotia and Shakti Parihar. Sunil Sharma (MoS Transport department with independent charge) was elevated to the cabinet rank. PDP’s Mohd Ashraf Mir and Mohammad Khalil Band were also inducted into the cabinet.
PDP dropped sitting Rural Development,Panchayati Raj and law Minister Abdul Haq Khan to allow two fresh faces to be inducted in the council of minister. PDP filled one vacancy created after the ouster of Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu. Resignations of Prof Nirmal Singh, Bali Bhagat, Priya Sethi, Abdul Haq Khan and Sunil Sharma were accepted by the Governor on Monday.
The Oath ceremony was attended by senior Ministers, Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of various Boards and Commissions; Members of Parliament; legislators, BB Vyas, Chief Secretary Dr. SP Vaid, DGP; senior Civil and Police officers, political leaders and prominent citizens of the State.