Omar Abdullah faces tough choices in Cabinet formation among NC MLAs

SRINAGAR — As Omar Abdullah prepares to form the next Cabinet in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister-designate is facing immense pressure from within his party, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), as over half of its MLAs vie for a limited number of ministerial positions.

According to political analysts, the selection process is set to be one of the most challenging in the erstwhile state’s history.

Out of the 42 JKNC MLAs, approximately 25 are hopeful contenders for a seat in Omar Abdullah’s Council of Ministers. However, the tight restrictions of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (UT) government limit the Cabinet size to just 10% of the 90-member Assembly, meaning Abdullah can only appoint eight Ministers in total. The Congress, NC’s ally, is expected to secure one Cabinet berth, leaving only seven seats available for JKNC members.

Political observers note that the Congress faces its own internal dilemma over whom to nominate for its lone Cabinet seat. The choice is between two senior figures: Tariq Hamid Karra, the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), and Ghulam Ahmad Mir, who secured the highest number of votes in the Kashmir region. The decision will ultimately rest with the Congress high command in New Delhi.

For JKNC, the task is no easier. Omar Abdullah is expected to include key figures such as Surender Choudhary and Satish Sharma from Jammu, with a strong possibility of selecting a Muslim MLA from the Pir Panjal or Chenab region. This would leave only four cabinet berths for the roughly 20 contenders from Kashmir. Among these aspirants are six individuals who were reportedly promised ministerial roles during the election campaign, along with representatives from the Shia and Gujjar communities, who played a significant role in bolstering NC’s vote share.

In South Kashmir, potential contenders include Sakeena Itoo, Hasnain Masoodi, Altaf Ahmad Wani, and Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri. Central Kashmir’s aspirants feature Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar or his son Salman Sagar, Tanvir Sadiq, Mubarak Gul, and Shameema Firdous. North Kashmir’s hopefuls include Mir Saifullah, Qaisar Jamshed Lone, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Dr Sajad Shafi Uri, and Javed Hassan Baig.

With over a dozen contenders vying for just a handful of positions, it is clear that most will have to be left out. The decisions, according to insiders, will ultimately rest with NC patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, who will need to navigate the intense “pulls and pressures” within the party.

Analysts predict that some of those left out of the Cabinet may be offered chairperson roles in boards and corporations or Rajya Sabha seats as a consolation.

Forming a Cabinet in Jammu and Kashmir has never been this challenging, with the balancing act between party loyalty, regional representation, and community expectations making it a herculean task for Omar Abdullah.