States » NorthPosted at: Oct 26 2026 3:41PM


J&K cabinet expansion ceremony tomorrow at 10:30 AM, ministers’ names to be known by evening, says NC

Srinagar, Oct 26 (UNI) The National Conference on Monday said the oath-taking ceremony for new ministers in the Omar Abdullah-led government would be held at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar on Tuesday at 10:30 am, with the names expected to be known by this evening.
The expansion will be the first since the formation of Omar Abdullah’s government two years ago. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has extended invitations for the ceremony, scheduled to be held at the Lok Bhavan auditorium.
NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said the expansion or reshuffle would be decided by the Chief Minister.
“There will be an expansion, a reshuffle, whatever the Chief Minister wants,” Sadiq told reporters, asserting that the decision rested with Omar Abdullah.
He said the Chief Minister had earlier indicated that he would consult party president Farooq Abdullah before finalising the names, adding that the process had been completed.
Sadiq said list the of those to be included remained with the party leadership.
“Who will be included? They will receive a phone call. Only the party leadership knows that,” he said, adding that the names should become public by this evening.
The party chief spokesman also defended party president Farooq Abdullah over his recent remarks in Baramulla, rejecting the BJP’s charge of sedition and accusing them of doing “petty politics.”
Abdullah triggered a political controversy at a party function on Saturday by saying that India’s neighbour- without naming Pakistan- was “protecting” the people of the Valley by keeping the Kashmir issue alive on the global stage. The BJP described the remarks as “seditious” and demanded an apology to the people of the country.
Responding to the criticism, Sadiq said those questioning Abdullah should listen to his entire speech rather than focus on isolated remarks.
“Those who have given this a wrong twist should listen to the entire speech first,” he said.
Sadiq said Abdullah had also spoken about the tribal raiders and the atrocities committed in Kashmir by the neighbouring country. He said the former Chief Minister had referred to how a National Conference worker had come out to fight raiders.
“Taking one part out of context and using it to play dirty petty politics in this country by the BJP is wrong,” Sadiq said.
Claiming that most critics had not heard the full speech, he said, “The most surprising thing is that 99% of the people probably have not even listened to that speech. Because if they had listened to it, they would have understood what Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahib said.”
He questioned why the portions referring to the neighbouring country’s actions in Kashmir were not receiving similar attention.
“Why are they not putting that part forward as well? They have taken just one thing out of context,” he said.
Rejecting the BJP’s demand for an FIR against Abdullah, Sadiq said the speech did not amount to sedition.
“It is not seditious at all. There is nothing in it that is seditious,” he said.
“This has now become a habit of the BJP: to pursue its petty politics in the country by taking anything out of context and then making an issue out of it nationally,” he said.
Sadiq also invoked the National Conference’s record during militancy, saying the party had lost hundreds of workers.
“We do not need certificates from these people to prove whether we are nationalists or not,” he added.
UNI MJR ARN
Tags: #J&K cabinet expansion ceremony tomorrow at 10:30 AM# ministers’ names to be known by evening# says NC
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