Jammu: Ruling out any Cabinet reshuffle in
Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said
it would take place only when the leadership of both the
Congress and National Conference come to a decision.
"No, this is mere a rumour. It is not so (there is Cabinet
reshuffle in offing)," Omar told reporters here this evening.
The chief minister, who laid the foundation stone for
construction of State Data Centre at Civil Secretariat here,
said, "When the leadership of both parties (NC, Congress) will
decide, then (till will take place)."
Omar was replying to question of a possible Cabinet
reshuffle report in the media and statements made by the state
Congress leadership in this regard.
Asserting that expansion of Cabinet of the coalition
government in the state was "overdue", Jammu and Kashmir
Pradesh Congress Committee chief Saif-ud-Din Soz had earlier
today said reshuffle would take place.
"It (cabinet expansion) is overdue. There would be
reshuffle. Expansion may not apply because there is hardly any
scope for that. So there would be a reshuffle," Soz had said
on December 17.
"Reshuffle would take place at an appropriate time," the
minister had reiterated on January 7.
The chief minister said, "We have completed three years.
We have seen several goods things and from time to time, we
assess our performance.
"On the basis of that performance, if there is need for a
reshuffle, both leaderships of the parties should decide. I am
representing both the parties here."
Omar said all the ministers and every ministry has made
some contribution in the last three years.
"... Let you take any department, every department has
done some good thing-- that is fact," he said, rubbishing
allegations of opposition for bad performance of his
government during its tenure.
In reply to another question about allegations of
non-implementation of decisions of Congress-National
Conference Coordination Committee, Omar said, "Whatever inputs
we get from Coordination Committee that has always being taken
on the board. There is not a single input, which has not been
taken on the board.
"Let them have a meeting and whatever inputs we will
get, we will implement them."
On his meeting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Omar
said, "There was no deliberation. It was a courtesy call. As
leader of UPA, it was my responsibility to present the report
card that we had released for the public in J&K."
The chief minister also expressed gratitude to Gandhi for
her support to the state.
PTI
