Kavinder Gupta, seven others sworn in as J&K ministers
The Mehbooba Mufti-led Jammu and Kashmir cabinet was reshuffled on Monday, with Governor NN Vohra administering the oath of eight ministers. State Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister. PDP's Mohammed Khalil Bandh, Mohammed Ashraf Mir, and MoS Sunil Kumar Sharma, BJP leaders Sat Sharma, Rajiv Jasrotia, DK Manyal and Shakti Raj also took oaths in today's reshuffle.
Nirmal Singh, who resigned from the post of Deputy CM on Sunday night, was present at the ceremony which took place at the convention center in Jammu. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, BJP National Secretary Ram Madhav, and Avinash Rai Khanna, BJP state-in-charge were also present. The portfolios are expected to be allocated by today evening. Kavinder Gupta was the first one to take the oath.
Party gave me responsibility to bring in change after 3 yrs. I'll try my best to meet expectations of peoplework for Jammu, Kashmir Ladakh. We had entered into alliance, following people's mandate. I hope it keeps working for them: Kavinder Gupta, Dy CM elect #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/lfdglXVoY4
— ANI (@ANI) April 30, 2018
On April 17, BJP asked nine ministers in the PDP-BJP alliance to tender their resignations to make way for new faces. The party invited criticism after two cabinet ministers Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga, participated in a rally demanding CBI probe in Kathua rape case. Refuting speculations about the reshuffle being a result of the backlash, Nirmal Singh called it a routine exercise.
