J&K minister Sajad Lone quits over unwanted portfolio

Apparently dissatisfied with the portfolio allotted to him, Sajad Lone, a minister in the PDP-BJP ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday sent his resignation to the BJP high command, sources said.

"Yes, he has sent his letter of resignation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command for forwarding the same to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti," sources close to Sajad Lone told IANS here.

A separatist-turned-mainstream politician, Sajad is the son of senior separatist leader, Abdul Gani Lone who was killed by guerrillas in 2002.

Sajad, chairman of Peoples Conference (PC), contested 2014 assembly elections from Handwara constituency in Kupwara district and won.

After the elections, he announced support to the BJP and was a cabinet minis ter in the 10-month long Mufti Muhammad Sayeed headed government as a BJP nominee in the council of ministers.

"Sajad Sahib is not satisfied with the portfolio allotted to him. He has to answer people who reposed trust in him," sources close to him said as Sajad switched off his phones to avoid the media.

After he refused to meet local BJP leaders who called on his official residence on the Wazarat Road in winter capital Jammu late Tuesday evening, senior PDP leader and finance minister, Haseeb Drabu called on him to persuade him to re-consider his decision.

Sajad was allotted the social welfare department portfolio by Mehbooba Mufti while sources said he had expected to get health and medical education department.

In Mufti Muhammad Sayeed headed government, Sajad was minister for sheep and animal husbandry department.