Omar’s pick on his council exhibits considerate view on regional balance…!

Will new incumbents show caliber on decision making…?

Jammu: Even as Omar Abdullah as first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of J&K has taken considerate view on regional balance by his pick of ministers, the team looks neither inspiring nor replete with experience or caliber to deal with situational complexities of this sensitive place.
It goes without saying that Omar himself is a stalwart having sound political experience and grip on everything required for his chair. There are other big guns from within his own party who made it again this time having a sea of experience as ex ministers on significant portfolios in the past. Most of them have been kept in abeyance for reasons known only to NC high command.
Even though the names like Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana are quite popular in the corridors of Assembly Secretariat, yet void in terms of having veterans on board in the council of ministers is more than evident. Observers have it to say by choosing first timers from, Omar has tried to ward off feelings of regional neglect of Jammu, existing team has lack of experience on key aspects of policy making in vital sectors like finance, health and education in terms of policy making and decision making.
There are indeed a couple of those who are seen as giant political killers and therefore great political assets for both NC and Congress, yet that is not enough a criterion to fill the berths in council of ministers, feel the observers. In any council of ministers, seniority -juniority doesn’t matter much, instead experience and caliber to deal with the complexities of situation.
The existing team barring a few, are bereft of these pre requisites. Moreover, for any government or Chief Minister, it is the opinion of the ministers on key matters which matter as it is often required even on daily basis. Will all of them be able to deliver effectively on that front is only left to time to be seen. For now, it appears what Omar has done is a job of political niceties, primarily to ward off regional neglect feelings, though, the mandate which has emerged in terms of results and its fallout has only deepened the regional divide which many see on ‘communal’ lines . However, there are many senior politicians who see this as only a temporary arrangement which is going to change sooner as later. For now, it is an exercise akin to ‘fill in the blanks’ as a matter of political expediency.

Updated On 10/18/2024 12:52:02 AM