Jammu and Kashmir cabinet reshuffle today, BJP’s Kavinder Gupta to be new Deputy CM

The function is being held at the Convention Centre instead of the Raj Bhavan as the Jammu and Kashmir government has already shifted its base to summer capital Srinagar as part of the bi-annual darbar move.

Image grab: ABP News

NEW DELHI: At the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet reshuffle today, Kavinder Gupta will be elevated to the rank of Deputy Chief Minister. Kavinder Gupta said, "Party gave me responsibility to bring in change after 3 yrs. I'll try my best to meet expectations of people & work for Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh. We had entered into alliance, following people's mandate. I hope it keeps working for them." On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh had tendered his resignation to pave the way for state Gupta to take over the post in the PDP-BJP government led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Nirmal Singh will be the new speaker. At the oath-taking ceremony, which will be administered by Governor N N Vohra, a total of eight ministers will take the oath. The PDP will have Mohd Khalil Band, MLA from Pulwama, and Mohd Ashraf Mir, MLA from Sonwar, as Cabinet ministers, while the BJP will upgrade Sunil Sharma, at present Minister of State for Transport, to the rank of a Cabinet minister. BJP MLA Shakti Raj, Rajiv Jasrotia, Sat Paul Sharma and Devinder Kumar Manyal will also be sworn in as Minister of State. The oath-taking ceremony will take place at 12 noon and is expected to be attended by senior BJP leaders, including national general secretary Ram Madhav and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh. The state can have a maximum of 25 ministers, including the chief minister, out of which 14 portfolios are with the PDP and the remaining with the BJP.