Cabinet rejig on cards, PDP to appease ‘disgruntled’ leaders

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 22

The state government is likely to reshuffle the portfolios of some Cabinet ministers before the summer session of the state Legislative Assembly begins next month.

Official sources said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had given her nod to allocate the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCSCA) portfolio to Imran Ansari, an influential Shiite leader representing the Pattan constituency in north Kashmir.

The FCSCA portfolio is at present with Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, who represents the Darhal constituency. Ali was given the Information portfolio on Saturday in addition to the FCSCA.

Ansari currently has the Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Services and Sports portfolios. His portfolios are likely to be allocated to Basharat Bukhari in addition to his Horticulture portfolio.

Fissures had surfaced in the PDP after the Cabinet reshuffle of February 17, which saw the return of Altaf Bukhari as Education minister. Basharat had been divested of the key portfolio of revenue, relief and rehabilitation due to his poor performance. Basharat had resigned in protest after being given the insignificant Horticulture portfolio.

However, after three days he rejoined the Cabinet as the Chief Minister refused to allot him a “better portfolio”.

Apparently, Ansari also has not been happy with the Sports portfolio. He had also protested after the February 17 reshuffle. Ansari, whose influence had won three seats for the PDP, had wanted a change in his portfolio. His uncle and Zadibal MLA Abid Ansari had accused the influential Roads and Buildings minister Naeem Akhter of sidelining Ansari in the Cabinet.

Akhter was dropped from the post of the Srinagar parliamentary constituency in charge for April byelections following Abid’s campaign against the former. However, the PDP lost from the Shiite-dominated legislative constituencies in the bypoll.

Officials said the Chief Minister would allocate additional portfolios to some ministers after assessing their performances as many of them were first-timers in the Cabinet.They said the Law and Parliamentary Affairs portfolio would be given to a “disgruntled” legislator.