‘Minister change CM’s prerogative’: Sartaj Madni
Srinagar: With the reports that one of the ministers, Sartaj Madni, who is the maternal uncle of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, is likely to be removed from the council of ministers to make room for the Tassaduq Hussain Mufti in cabinet, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday maintained that the party has not decided anything yet in this regard and that rumors are not to be believed.
“Though the ministerial change is a prerogative of Chief Minister, but nothing has been decided yet on the change or drop of any ministers.” Maternal uncle of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and PDP Vice President Sartaj Madni said.
Madni rules out any resentment in the party over possible induction of Tasaduq Mufti in the cabinet. “Everyone is working under the leadership of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. There is no resentment in the party over any issue and I can say that the leadership of the Party president Mehbooba Mufti is endorsed by one and all,” Madni maintained.
There are reports that chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is likely to induct her brother Tassaduq Hussain Mufti as tourism minister, a portfolio which is currently with her.
Tasadauq Mufti had joined the Mehbooba-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the first death anniversary of his father and PDP stalwart, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in January this year.
He is being nominated as the Member of Legislative Council against a vacancy that arose after the resignation of Vikramaditya Singh from the PDP as well as Upper House.
Sources said that while the recommendation of the state cabinet for the nomination of Tasaduq Mufti has reached Raj Bhawan Jammu for the approval of Governor N N Vohra , the decks have been cleared for nomination of Tassaduq Mufti to the Legislative Council, few days before start of budget session of the Legislature on January 2. Sources ruled out ruled out his immediate induction in the Council of Ministry.
However if Party sources are to be believed then Tassaduq would be inducted in the cabinet before the Budget Session of the Assembly.
On his nomination to the Upper House, Tassaduq would get only remaining tem of Vikramaditya i.e. about three and a half years.
The Legislative Council has the provision of nomination of eight members by the Governor on the advice of State Government from among the people, who distinguished themselves in various fields. All eight MLCs-four each from PDP and BJP-were nominated in March 2015.
The last Cabinet reshuffle had taken place in first week of February this year with the re-induction of Altaf Bukhari as the Education Minister, keeping one post vacant in the quota of PDP.
Another coalition partner, the BJP has exhausted its quota in the Ministry.
After Altaf Bukhari’s re-induction and change in portfolios, Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari and Horticulture Minister Basharat Bukhari had resigned over allotment of insignificant portfolios to them but had resumed work on the advice of the Chief Minister as they had been assured some better portfolios.
(With inputs from KNS)
