Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Internal differences within the ruling National Conference (NC) have intensified, with 18 legislators reportedly holding a meeting in Srinagar on Friday to chalk out a strategy against the recent Cabinet reshuffle, signalling that the party leadership could be heading towards a major showdown with disgruntled MLAs.
As many as 17 NC MLAs and one Independent MLA attended the meeting at the residence of an NC legislator in the airport area of Srinagar.
Sources said the meeting focused on devising a collective strategy against what the legislators described as an unjust Cabinet expansion. The participants reportedly reached a consensus on demanding the replacement of four ministers who were inducted when the Omar Abdullah-led government was formed on October 16, 2024, arguing that they had completed two years in office and should make way for fresh faces.
The participation of 18 legislators has fuelled speculation that the group of dissatisfied lawmakers could be larger, as several MLAs who stayed away from the recent oath-taking ceremony could not attend Friday’s meeting due to prior engagements.
The meeting comes amid growing resentment following the October 27 Cabinet expansion, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office to four NC legislators, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Wani, popularly known as Altaf Kaloo.
The expansion also saw Independent MLA Satish Sharma dropped from the Cabinet, taking the Council of Ministers to its maximum permissible strength of nine, including the Chief Minister.
The reshuffle triggered visible discontent within the party, with 11 MLAs from the ruling alliance reportedly staying away from the swearing-in ceremony. Several senior NC legislators, including Mubarak Gul, Abdul Majeed Larmi and Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri, expressed disappointment over being overlooked for ministerial positions.
The resentment also spilled onto the streets, as supporters of Mubarak Gul staged a protest at the party headquarters in Srinagar. Gul was subsequently appointed the party’s general secretary by NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah in an apparent effort to address the growing discontent.
While the party leadership has sought to downplay the developments, the growing number of dissatisfied legislators and their reported attempts to coordinate a collective response have put the NC leadership under mounting political pressure.
The latest meeting could further complicate efforts to contain internal differences, with the coming days likely to test the party’s ability to maintain unity and prevent the growing dissent from turning into an open confrontation.
Inputs: KNO
