was inducted into the union cabinet and allocated the ministry of New and Renewable Energy.  
Whether the little known ministry saves the face of the so called political heavyweight or not, the National Conference activists burst crackers in jubilation at the party headquarter in Srinagar. The jubilation was either aimed to camouflage the humiliation of the National Conference President or the party thought the ministry was an achievement for Abdullah. Last week Abdullah air dashed to South Africa to watch IPL after he found he was denied a berth in the cabinet in the first cabinet oath taking. Soon after the election results were out, the outspoken Abdullah had gone public with his preferences for a senior cabinet berth. Though some insiders in the party say Abdullah should better have remained out of the government, than take up the little known ministry, the flamboyant septuagenarian had words for this time too.
“No profile is big or small. It is just a perception of people. I think I am small for New and Renewable Energy Ministry. This portfolio is bigger than me,” Abdullah told reporters after taking charge of the ministry. He added that he would create awareness about the little known ministry.
However, party men and voters were little impressed. Abdullah has got the ‘Gobar Gas’ ministry was the buzz. And the sarcasm was not unfounded.
Farooq Abdullah became the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 1982, after his father, Sheikh Abdullah died. Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, was then just a bureaucrat. Twenty seven years later, Singh created history by becoming the only second Prime Minister to have been elected twice after Jawaharlal Nehru. Farooq too created history in his own unique way. He went on to head a ministry that was earlier just a department assigned to a minister of state. It was converted into a cabinet portfolio as GoI probably wanted to restrict Farooq from creating any controversy.
Well, to be fair enough, if the ministry needs some quick publicity, there cannot be a better bet than Abdullah with a flair for being in the news.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here