Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is likely to induct her only brother, 45-year-old Tassaduq Mufti, in her Government as an Advisor to CM with Ministerial status.
Highly placed political sources told this correspondent that with CM’s approval, General Administration Department (GAD) was expected to issue Tassaduq’s appointment order anytime in the next two days.
Having demonstrated extraordinary interest in tourism, urban developing, town planning and cleanliness, the cinematographer-turned-politician Tassaduq could operate as de facto Minister of Tourism as that key portfolio lies with none other than his sister Chief Minister.
Sources close to the ruling family said that the main purpose of Tassaduq’s induction into the Government would be to put an end to the “whisper campaign” as “some elements in politics and bureaucracy” looked proactively critical of his routine recommendations and suggestions with regard to certain administrative matters. If these sources are to be believed, Tassaduq would hold his office in Chief Minister’s Secretariat like her aides Prof Amitabh Mattoo and Saadut Hussain, both lateral entries.
As of now, eminent academic Prof Mattoo is functioning as Advisor to CM. Known for his loyalty and proximity to the Mufti family, Prof Mattoo had been picked up by then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as his Advisor with the status of a Cabinet Minister in 2015. Ms Mufti retained him as Advisor to CM in April 2016 but for reasons not made public he quit his job and returned to Australia for an academic assignment in November. However, early this year he silently joined back as CM’s aide. He has his office in CM’s Secretariat but is rarely seen there.
Upon his replacement by Bharat Bhushan Vyas, outgoing Chief Secretary Braj Raj Sharma was on April 28 appointed as Advisor (Administrative Affairs) to CM. This was believed to be a make-shift placement pending empanelment of the 1984 batch IAS officer as Secretary in the Union Government.
SThas reported in Saturday’s issue that Mr Sharma, whose empanelment was not approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet last week, could be appointed as Chairman of Special Tribunal in J&K Government for a couple of months as his empanelment was now expected in June or July. Apparently working in this direction, Government today modified the April 28 order and appointed Shaleen Kabra as Principal Secretary of Labour and Employment Department.
Today’s Government is silent with regard to appointment of the new Chairman of Special Tribunal.
The Jammu and Kashmir Bank official Saadut Hussain is also holding his office in CM’s Secretariat and functioning as an undesignated advisor to CM even as his official designation is Chief Executive Office e-governance Agency.
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