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Rumblings in NC after cabinet expansion: No rift , MLAs’ concerns to be addressed, says Farooq
Farooq Abdullah pacified disgruntled National Conference legislators, calling their demands genuine and pledging to address their concerns.
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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has managed to pacify the disgruntled legislators, terming their demands genuine and assuring them that the leadership would address their concerns.
More than a dozen legislators met NC president and chief minister Omar Abdullah at Gupkar on Friday morning. The meeting lasted around two hours.
After the meeting, the NC chief addressed a joint press conference with the legislators, in the presence of the chief minister.
“I want to negate the news that the NC is a divided house. Our party is united. Those who are thinking that this party will split, I want to tell them this party hasn’t split in the past and this is not going to happen in the future,” said Farooq, flanked by the disgruntled legislators.
The induction of four new ministers into the Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir cabinet on October 27 triggered widespread discontent and protests within the ruling NC.
Soon after the cabinet expansion, several senior NC legislators criticised the move and later held a series of meetings, during which they discussed issues concerning the party and submitted a charter of demands to be presented to the party president. The legislators also discussed with the leadership their inability to fulfil the promises made to people who have given them a huge mandate.
Farooq said the demands of the legislators are genuine and they had been heard. “Their problems will be given due consideration and will be resolved, some immediately, while some demands will take time,” he said, adding that it was resolved that legislators will work to strengthen the party.
“Our fight for statehood, Article 370 and 35A will continue,” he added.
The dissident MLAs also said the party leadership has listened to their grievances. “We are National Conference, and we had issues that we discussed with the party leadership, and now everything is fine,” said Nazir Ahmad Gurezi.
Another legislator, Mubarak Gul, who was upset over being overlooked for the ministerial berth, said things have been resolved. “It’s fine now. Our concerns have been addressed,” said Abdul Majeed Larmi, legislator from South Kashmir, adding that the issues had been discussed with the leadership.
Party leaders privy to the matter said the legislators, in the closed-door meeting, conveyed to the party leadership that the elected representatives were being ignored while non-elected persons are being given preference.
The leaders said the party president had assured that all the issues would be resolved and will be given top priority.
The meeting comes in the backdrop of Srinagar MP Aga Ruhullah resigning from the party and as an MP. Hazratbal legislator Salman Sagar had blamed the BJP for initiating ‘Operation Lotus’ in J&K. However, Bijbehara legislator Bashir Ahmad Veeri, who attended the meeting, said the claim was a ‘misrepresentation’.
