Omar Abdullah says J&K cabinet expansion next week

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his council of ministers would be expanded and reshuffled next week, urging party colleagues and MLAs not to seek ministerial berths as the list had already been finalised.

Abdullah spoke to reporters after meeting lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan.

"Yes, it (reshuffle) certainly was (discussed). I requested time from him for the expansion and asked him that in the first two to three days of next week, I will carry out the expansion and certain changes in my council of ministers," said Abdullah.


He said the lieutenant governor would fix a time for the exercise, following which the expansion would take place.

Abdullah appealed to party colleagues and MLAs not to approach him or National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for ministerial berths, saying the list had been finalised after consultations.

"After consultations with Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahib, the list has been finalised. There is no need to knock on Farooq Sahib's door, my door, or anyone else's door. The decision of who will become a minister is not pending; it has already been made. So, I request my colleagues to please be patient," he said.

Abdullah urged party members to stop sending messages or making phone calls to lobby for ministerial berths.

"Please stop sending WhatsApp messages. I am receiving endless, lengthy messages... entire books are being written, sending full biodatas as if I don't know who they are! I already know them and their work," he said.