Two junior ministers elevated in Jammu and Kashmir

Two junior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers - Abdul Ghani Kohli and Chering Dorjey - took oath as cabinet ministers in the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed-led BJP-PDP government in Jammu on Friday.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra administered the oath of office to Kohli and Dorjey.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at Raj Bhavan in Jammu and was attended by Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, other ministers, Jammu and Kashmir High Court judges and senior officials.

With the elevation of Kohli and Dorjay, there are now 11 cabinet ministers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and eight of the BJP.

Kohli has been given the transport department and Dorjey the cooperative department.

Sajad Gani Lone of the Peoples Conference, who holds cabinet rank, is likely to be given an important portfolio on Friday.

Lone presently holds the animal husbandry department portfolio. It is being said that he will be given either the forest and environment or urban development portfolio.

An official communication on this is expected on Friday afternoon here.