Jammu: Farooq Khan, one of the Advisors to the J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, on Sunday submitted his resignation to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to make a political foray.
The development came a day after the two-day visit of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to J&K thus fuelling a lot of speculations, ranging from “getting some important political assignment” to linking the move to “gearing up for ensuing assembly elections.”
“Yes, I’ve resigned. But there is no truth to the reports that I’m going to take up some political assignment. There is no political assignment as on date. I have just put in my papers requesting them that I would like to work in the political field now,” Khan told Greater Kashmir, while confirming the news about his resignation and setting the records straight with regard to reports about “getting new political role.”
On being asked whether the resignation was accepted or not, he stated, “You shall have to confirm that from the MHA whether it has been accepted or not. As far as the reports that I’m being given some important political assignment, I know nothing about it. I’m not privy to that.”
As he had already made his intention unambiguously clear in his resignation that he wanted to move away from the “bureaucratic” role to actively enter into the political realm, was he going to contest in the ensuing assembly polls and was he preparing for that?
His brief and guarded response to this obvious question was, “Well, I cannot say that. It’s too early for me to say anything. As of now I’ve only expressed my desire to work in the political sphere.”
Khan as the Advisor to LG was holding the portfolios of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Social Welfare, Tribal Affairs, Labour and Employment, Youth Services and Sports, ARI and Trainings, Cooperative, Election, Haj & Auqaf, Agriculture Production & Farmers’ welfare and Horticulture.