J&K: BJP-PDP to undertake Cabinet reshuffle today

The BJP-PDP government in Jammu and Kashmir will undertake a Cabinet reshuffle today, inducting some new faces. Governor NN Vohra will administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new Ministers in Jammu at noon.

Ahead of the reshuffle, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh resigned last night to pave the way for Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta to take over the post.The state can have a maximum of 25 Ministers, including the Chief Minister, of which 14 portfolios are with the PDP and 11 with the BJP.

With two vacancies already existing in the quota of BJP and resignations of three



more Ministers sent to Governor NN Vohra last night, the BJP is inducing an equal number of five new faces in the Council of Ministry to keep its strength static at 11. The other new faces being inducted are Rajiv Jasrotia, MLA Kathua, Dr Devender Manyal, MLA Samba and Shakti Parihar, MLA Doda. 

While Shakti Parihar will be inducted as Minister of State, all four others will be the Cabinet Ministers. Governor N N Vohra will administer the oath to the new ministers in the swearing-in ceremony being held in Jammu this afternoon.