Lobbying begins within BJP for cabinet berths

Hectic lobbying has begun within the State unit of Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) to get cabinet berth in the alliance government with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) likely to be formed by February 10.
The excited BJP legislators have been making all possible efforts to ensure their entry into the first ever BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir, with many of them have having strong support from the RSS.
Sources said the BJP high command has given clear indication of government formation before February 10 and they have also taken final decision on the ministries to be given to party legislators.
“Prof Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta have been making efforts to get Dy CM post in the BJP-PDP alliance government,” sources said, adding that BJP MLA Bali Bhagat has been trying to get the post of Speaker of State Legislative Assembly.
They said that MLA Basohli Choudhary Lal Singh, MLA Nowshera Ravinder Raina, MLA Kishtwar Sunil Kumar and Rajeev Sharma may be inducted in the Mufti-led coalition government.
A senior BJP legislator, wishing anonymity, said the party has claimed ministries like Home and Planning and hoped his party would be given important ministries.
“We don’t want discrimination with Jammu division. This time we need proper representation and good departments since we have been given mandate by the Jammu region with 25 seats in Legislative Assembly,” the senior BJP leader said.
He said they have not compromised on the issues confronting development in Jammu division particularly and Ladakh.