SRINAGAR — The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to induct four new ministers into the Omar Abdullah-led Council of Ministers on Tuesday, while incumbent minister Satish Sharma is likely to be dropped as part of the much-awaited cabinet expansion and reshuffle, sources told news agency KNS on Monday.
According to the sources, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Altaf Ahmad Kaloo, Shameema Firdous and Mir Saifullah have been finalised for induction into the ministry. The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to take place at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar at 10:30 am on Tuesday.
The reshuffle would mark the first major restructuring of the Council of Ministers since the National Conference-led government assumed office in October 2024.
The development follows a final round of political consultations on Monday, including an attempt by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to secure the Congress’s participation in the expanded ministry.
As reported earlier, Omar personally contacted Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra to seek the party’s final decision on accepting a Cabinet berth.
Karra declined the offer, reiterating that the Congress would not join the ministry until Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood was restored. He also conveyed that the chief minister could proceed with filling the berth that had been reserved for the party.
The Congress’s decision removed the remaining uncertainty over its participation in the expansion, allowing the chief minister to proceed with the proposed ministerial changes, according to the sources.
The cabinet expansion has been under discussion for several months, with regional representation, seniority and the accommodation of party legislators featuring prominently in political deliberations.
The Omar Abdullah government took office in October 2024 with a smaller Council of Ministers, leaving positions vacant for a subsequent expansion.
With four new ministers expected to join and one incumbent likely to be dropped, the Council of Ministers is set to reach its maximum permissible strength of nine members, including the chief minister.
The final composition of the Cabinet, including the proposed induction of the four legislators and the exit of Satish Sharma, remains subject to official confirmation ahead of Tuesday’s ceremony.
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