Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expanded his Council of Ministers on Tuesday, inducting four new ministers, all from the Kashmir Valley.The four National Conference (NC) leaders — Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamim Firdous, Saifullah Mir and Altaf Ahmad Wani — took the oath of office administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhawan here. Wani is a two-time legislator from the Pahalgam constituency in South Kashmir.Omar, however, dropped Independent legislator Satish Sharma, who was the Cabinet’s only representative from mainland Jammu. The oath-taking ceremony was held at Lok Bhawan here in the presence of top NC leaders.The expansion is the first since the National Conference returned to power following the 2024 Assembly elections.Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, the strength of the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly. With a 90-member Assembly, the Cabinet can have a maximum of nine ministers, a ceiling that has now been reached. The latest expansion gives greater representation to the Kashmir valley, with all four newly inducted ministers hailing from the region and representing South, Central and North Kashmir. The move also appears to reflect an effort by the Omar government to strengthen the party’s position in the Valley.The Congress, an alliance partner of the National Conference, has announced that it will stay out of the Cabinet until statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir.The expansion comes as the Omar-led government completes two years in office. Since assuming power, the government has repeatedly maintained that Jammu and Kashmir’s Union Territory status and the resulting dual-governance structure have constrained its ability to take major policy decisions.With the Cabinet reshuffle, Sharma has been dropped from the Council of Ministers. He had represented the mainland Jammu belt, comprising the districts of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua. His exit leaves these four districts without representation in the Cabinet, even as the BJP swept the region in the 2024 Assembly elections.Following the oath-taking ceremony, Omar personally visited the office chambers of all newly inducted ministers. He expressed confidence that they would discharge their responsibilities with dedication and contribute to effective governance and the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir, a government spokesperson said.The CM also underscored the ministers’ role in advancing the government’s developmental agenda and ensuring public welfare. He expressed hope that their experience and commitment would further strengthen the government’s efforts to fulfil the aspirations of the people, the statement added.