Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. (PTI Photo)

Four new ministers were sworn into the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday. The expansion comes as Abdullah balances a tussle between the younger guard and seasoned veterans, the competing aspirations of Kashmir and Jammu and sub-regional demands within both regions.

Thousands of people have been evacuated along eastern coast and some train services cancelled ahead of the landfall of very severe cyclonic storm Arnab, expected by Wednesday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the storm was likely to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts near Yanam, between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, with maximum sustained wind speeds of up to 125 kmph and gusts reaching 140 kmph.

Story continues below this ad

The Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) warned of heavy rainfall in north coastal districts, particularly Srikakulam, along with strong winds.…