Kavinder Gupta sworn in as J&K deputy CM, 7 others take oath as ministers in Mehbooba Mufti govt

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kavinder Gupta was today sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister in the Jammu and Kashmir government, a day after Nirmal Singh tendered his resignation from the post.

Among the ministers who were sworn in by Governor NN Vohra was BJP's Kathua MLA Rajeev Jasrotia and PDP's Pulwama MLA Mohammad Khalil Band.

The new BJP faces sworn in as ministers in the Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP government were the party's state unit chief Satpal Sharma and the MLA from Sambha, Devinder Kumar Manyal. BJP MLA from Doda Shakti Raj took oath as a minister of state. 

The BJP also upgraded Sunil Sharma, at present minister of state for transport, to the rank of a cabinet minister. 

PDP MLA from Sonwar Mohd Ashraf Mir has also been inducted as a minister.

BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav and Minister of State in the PMO Jitendra Singh attended the event.

The function was held at the convention centre instead of Raj Bhavan as the Jammu and Kashmir government has already shifted its base to summer capital Srinagar, part of the bi-annual darbar move under which the government functions for six months in Jammu and six months in Srinagar. 

Ahead of the reshuffle of the council of ministers, Nirmal Singh tendered his resignation from the post of deputy chief minister last night, paving the way for state Assembly Speaker Kavinder Gupta to take over the position in the government. Nirmal Singh is likely to be new speaker.

The BJP had on April 17 asked all its nine ministers in the PDP-BJP government in the state to submit their resignations to enable bringing in new faces in the two-year-old Mehbooba Mufti government.

The party, however, had not forwarded the resignations to the Governor.

Two BJP ministers -- Lal Singh and Chander Prakash Ganga -- who took part in a rally in support of those accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, had to resign from the government earlier this month.

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.

Meanwhile, Ram Madhav denied that the recent exercise was undertaken as a corrective measure following the controversy over Kathua rape and murder case.

"The cabinet reshuffle has nothing to do with the Kathua incident. Our government has completed three years and we decided to give a chance to new faces. 5 members of the party will be sworn-in as ministers today," Madhav said ahead of the swearing in ceremony. 

(With PTI inputs)