13 ministers inducted into J&K ministry
The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was expanded on Saturday. Thirteen new ministers were inducted into the ministry.
The new ministers included eight cabinet and five ministers of state. Senior National Conference leaders Qamar Ali Akhoon, Sakina Ittoo, Abdul Gani Malik and Aga Roohullah were made cabinet ministers, while Javid Ahmad Dar and Nasir Sogami of same party were inducted as ministers of state.
Among the Congress leaders, Raman Bhalla, R S Chib and G M Saroori were inducted into the cabinet, while Shabir Khan, Aijaz Khan and Manohar Lal were made ministers of state.
Aijaz and Manohar are ministers of state with independent charge. Ghulam Hassan Mir, an independent MLA, also got berth in the cabinet.
Governor N N Vohra administered the oath of office and secrecy to the ministers at a ceremony on the banks of the Dal lake. Omar Abdullah, his father and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah were among those who were present on the occasion.
The expansion of the ministry had become a headache for the senior leaders of the National Conference and the Congress, as most legislators were keen to get berths.
