Srinagar/Alive News: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expanded his council of ministers on Tuesday, with four new ministers taking oath, all representing constituencies in the Kashmir Valley. The new ministers are Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shameema Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani, popularly known as Kalloo.
Sagar, the National Conference (NC) general secretary and a seven-time MLA, took his oath in Urdu, while the other three ministers were sworn in in English. Sagar has never lost an Assembly election. He first entered the Assembly in 1983 from Batamaloo and later shifted to Khanyar, which he won in 1996 and again in 2024 by defeating independent candidate Sheikh Imran by 9,912 votes.
Saifullah, a three-time representative of Kupwara, returned to the council of ministers after winning the Trehgam seat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
Wani, who represents Pahalgam, and Firdous, the Habbakadal MLA, became ministers for the first time. Firdous, who heads the NC’s women’s wing, is the second woman in the cabinet after Sakina Itoo.
The expansion increased the cabinet’s strength from six to 10 ministers, the maximum permitted under the rules. Congress, an alliance partner, continues to stay out of the government until statehood is restored.
