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Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Shah, acting chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir and the most senior Cabinet colleague of Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who is on holiday in London, is finding it rather difficult to manage the affairs of the state because of his advancing age and failing health.
Shah has been suffering from a number of ailments, including osteoporosis, which makes movement extremely painful for the octogenarian National Conference politician.
Despite his best efforts to act firmly in Dr Abdullah's absence, Shah had to face two very awkward situations as the state government offices re-opened in Srinagar after the move from the state's winter capital Jammu.
As senior bureaucrats rushed to escort Shah to the secretariat the acting chief minister stood up to receive the officers. While doing so he fell down and his nose began bleeding.
Undeterred, Shah proceeded to the secretariat, but another mishap was awaiting him there. While getting up to return home, Shah suffered another fall.
Doctors have advised Shah to take rest, but the exigencies of politics and power keep him on his feet, though they are not so strong anymore.
Incidentally, a VVIP stumbling on the first day of the secretariat reopening in Srinagar seems to be becoming some sort of unwelcome routine. Director General Of Police A K Suri became a victim of his own unguarded steps when he hit a flower pot and narrowly escaped suffering several facial injuries while overlooking security arrangements on the same day last year.
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