Cabinet reshuffle a balancing act for Omar Abdullah

It is believed that Abdullah favours the induction of Mir Saifullah, the NC legislator from north Kashmir's Kupwara assembly constituency as a cabinet minister.

Former minister and senior NC leader Chowdhary Muhammad Ramzan, who represents the Handwara constituency in the same district, could be Mir's biggest challenger.

However, Ramzan recently told reporters that he was not in the race for a ministerial berth and would like to remain a party functionary.

Omar Abdullah's uncle and senior NC leader Mustafa Kamal is also a hot contender for a ministerial berth, but his frequent utterances against the Congress could be a big impediment - and the chief minister might not be inclined to oblige his uncle.

Some sections in the NC still believe that given the fact that the induction of one new face into the cabinet would create even more heartburn among those not considered for elevation, Omar Abdullah could well opt not to induct anybody at all from the NC in the forthcoming reshuffle.