Srinagar, Jan 10: In the run up to the reshuffle in the council of ministers in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi Thursday presided over a meeting in New Delhi to discuss the induction of party’s new faces in the state cabinet besides reallocation of portfolios of the existing ministers. The reshuffle is likely to take place in next few days.
Sources told Greater Kashmir that besides Gandhi the meeting was attended by her political advisor, Ahmad Patel; Congress in charge (JK Affairs) Mohan Prakash; State Congress President Prof Saif-ud-din Soz and Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The meeting, held at 10-Janpath, started in the evening and lasted for more than an hour, sources said.
They said the reshuffle and induction of new faces was the main point which came up for discussion. The Congress high command was also analyzing things keeping in view the regions which do not have the representation in the government. “Two Congress legislators from the Chenab Valley and one from Kashmir are likely to be inducted in the cabinet. It means one of the existing ministers of the party in the cabinet will be recalled back to the party,” sources said.
The meeting also evaluated the performance of the present Congress ministers in the National Conference-Congress coalition combine in Jammu and Kashmir.
Gandhi who is also UPA chairperson was expected to summon the leaders again before giving her go-ahead to the reshuffle.
While the total strength of the state cabinet is 25, the Congress has 10 ministers in the government including six cabinet ministers. Congress had to surrender a berth in the cabinet after resignation by GM Saroori for his alleged involvement in impersonation case involving his daughter. However the CBI later gave him a clean chit in the case. The party also lost education portfolio over the examination scandal involving foster son of former Congress leader and Minister for School Education, Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed. Both the portfolios are presently held by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Meanwhile sources said the reshuffle and induction of new faces into the council of ministers was likely to take place in next few days. As already reported by Greater Kashmir, National Conference was unlikely to change the composition of their ministers in the cabinet.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST