Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani on Tuesday acknowledged resentment and disappointment among National Conference (NC) legislators following the recent cabinet expansion, saying party MLAs had every right to feel upset over being left out of the government.
Speaking to media persons here, Wani said it was natural for elected representatives to aspire to ministerial positions, but accommodating every legislator in the Council of Ministers was not possible, particularly given Jammu and Kashmir’s Union Territory status.
“It’s obvious, as everybody has an ambition to become a minister, but we are facing challenges as we are in a Union Territory and have enough MLAs,” Wani said.
Acknowledging the possibility of discontent among those who failed to secure ministerial berths, he said their disappointment was understandable, given their association with the party.
“There may be resentment or disappointment, and they have the right to be angry because they are the family,” he said.
Wani added that people in every constituency naturally wanted their elected representative to become a minister. However, he said, fulfilling the aspirations of all legislators was difficult.
“It is not possible,” he said.
Asked about senior party leader Mubarak Gul, who expressed disappointment after being left out of the Cabinet, Wani said NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah had appointed him as the party’s general secretary.
He added that Gul would now discharge responsibilities in that capacity.
Wani’s remarks came after four NC legislators—Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo—were inducted into the Omar Abdullah-led Council of Ministers on Tuesday.
The reshuffle has filled vacant ministerial positions but also exposed disappointment among some senior party leaders who had hoped to join the government.
