J&K cabinet reshuffle: 'This is very normal thing in any democratic setup', says Jitendra Singh

Including the chief minister, the state can have a maximum of 25 ministers. 14 portfolios are with the PDP and the remaining with the BJP.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh (ANI)

New Delhi: On Monday, commenting on the cabinet reshuffle in Jammu and Kashmir Union Minister Jitendra Singh said, "Cabinet reshuffle takes place depending on circumstances of the past and present." "Cabinet reshuffle takes place depending on circumstances of the past & present & also taking cognizance of the challenges that lie ahead in the future. This is a very normal thing in any democratic setup," news agency ANI quoted Singh saying. Meanwhile, ahead of a Cabinet reshuffle, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh has tendered his resignation to pave the way for state Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta to take over the post in the PDP-BJP government led by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, reported news agency PTI. BJP's state unit chief Sat Sharma, MLAs from Kathua and adjoining Sambha Rajiv Jasrotia and Devinder Kumar Manyal are among the BJP faces who will be inducted into the state government as Cabinet ministers, officials said. "I have resigned from the post to pave the way for a new deputy chief minister in the state," Singh told PTI last night. 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, the officials said. On April 17, the saffron party had asked all its nine ministers in the PDP-BJP government in the state to submit their resignations. The move was taken to enable bringing in new faces in the two-year-old state government. It may be recalled that earlier this month, two BJP ministers (Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga) had to resign from the government. They took part in a rally in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua. Including the chief minister, the state can have a maximum of 25 ministers. 14 portfolios are with the PDP and the remaining with the BJP.