Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 16: Yesterday’s reshuffle-cum-expansion in the Council of Ministry has created resentment among both coalition partners-National Conference and Congress with some of the Congress legislators sulking over their non inclusion in the Cabinet while two NC MLAs, appointed as chairpersons of the Boards, refusing to take up their new assignments as they were aspirants for a Ministerial berth.
Congress MLA from Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who had been hoping to stage a comeback in the Cabinet after being given clean chit by the CBI, has gone to the extent of demanding resignation of PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz saying he has failed to do justice in the Cabinet reshuffle.
“A person, who can’t do justice has no right to head the Congress”, Mr Saroori told the Excelsior.
National Conference third consecutive time MLA from Karnah (Kupwara), Kafeel-ur-Rehman, who had yesterday been appointed as vice chairman of Advisory Board for Development of Pahari Speaking People in the rank of Minister of State, has categorically refused to take up the assignment describing his non-inclusion in the Cabinet as “grave injustice” with Pahari speaking people spread over 10 Assembly segments, who, he claimed, were staunch supporters of the NC.
“This is not the injustice with me but with all the Pahari speaking people, who had major say in 10 Assembly constituencies and those, who have been sending NC representatives to the Assembly. All these segments were in the border areas and people have been braving bullets for the State and the country”, he said, adding being the senior most Pahari leader he deserved to be inducted in the Cabinet but instead first time MLAs have been made Ministers with Independent charge.
Mr Rehman told the Excelsior that he wouldn’t take up the assignment of vice chairman of Pahari Board. He said he spoke to NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah and apprised him of the strong resentment prevailing among the people of Karnah and other segments of Pahari speaking people against his non-inclusion in the Cabinet.
Kafeel has been winning Karnah seat since 1996 and this was his third term in the Assembly. Yesterday, NC had inducted first time MLA Feroz Khan from Zanskar (Kargil) in the Ministry with MoS (Independent charge).
Two MLAs from Kafeel’s Kupwara district, Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan and Saifullah Mir were inducted as Cabinet Ministers.
Sources said National Conference MLA from Nowshera, Radhey Shyam Sharma, who was yesterday appointed as Vice Chairman of Advisory Board for Development of Kissans with MoS status, has also not taken up his assignment as he too was expecting a Ministerial berth.
Kafeel had been appointed as vice chairman of Pahari Board vice Mushtaq Bukhari while Mr Sharma was made vice chairman of Kissan Board in place of Rashpal Singh, another NC MLA from Kalakote. Both Mr Bukhari and Mr Singh were adjusted in the party.
Kafeel was of the view that two times and one time MLAs have been inducted into the Ministry while he being third consecutive time MLA has been ignored.
Sources said the reshuffle-cum-expansion has also created resentment among some of the Congress legislators.
Congress MLA from Inderwal, Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, who had been removed from the Cabinet as R&B Minister in August 2010 after an examination scam involving his daughter, said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and entire Congress leadership had assured him that he would be re-inducted in the Cabinet if the CBI gave him a clean chit.
“I became the victim in 2010 as I was removed when I had gone on Hajj. Now again when the CBI has given me clean chit, I was not included in the Cabinet. PCC (I) chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz has failed to do justice with me and, therefore, he has no right to head the Congress. He should be removed from the post”, Mr Saroori said.
Pointing out that he had polled maximum votes in 2002 and 2008 Assembly elections and secured massive lead for Congress in Parliamentary election from his Inderwal segment, Mr Saroori said by ignoring him for the Cabinet berth and opposing his name, Prof Soz has done grave injustice for which the Almighty would punish him severely.
Asserting that he has been humiliated, Mr Saroori said he was a committed Congress worker and Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad were his leaders. He said hundreds of Sarpanchs and Panchs, who had submitted their resignations over his non inclusion in the Cabinet, were advised by him to maintain patience and not do tender resignations.
According to sources, Congress MLA from Bhaderwah, Mohammad Sharief Niaz has also advised hundreds of Sarpanchs and Panchs, who wanted to quit over his (Niaz’s) non-inclusion in the Cabinet, not to take any decision in haste.
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