Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, May 8 

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday dismissed speculation of internal divisions within the ruling National Conference over a possible cabinet expansion, saying the process had been delayed solely because J&K had not regained statehood.

The clarification follows growing political speculation in Srinagar about a possible reshuffle in the council of ministers and reports of unease among some legislators within the ruling alliance.

“There is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. Our MLAs stand firmly with the party,” Abdullah told reporters, rejecting suggestions of dissension within the party.

Eknath Shinde led a split in the undivided Shiv Sena in 2022 before forming a government in Maharashtra with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Abdullah accused the BJP of attempting to create political instability in Jammu and Kashmir and said opposition statements reflected “impatience” to return to power.

“The cabinet expansion has not been halted out of fear. It is on hold because Jammu and Kashmir has not been granted statehood,” he said, reiterating his government’s demand for the restoration of full statehood to the federally administered territory.

In a broader political attack, the chief minister accused the BJP of using the issue of statehood as a pressure tactic.

“People of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those who voted for the BJP, should remember that the BJP and its leaders are indulging in blackmail politics by linking governance and statehood to political power,” he said.

The remarks highlight continuing tensions between the National Conference-led administration and the BJP as the government presses New Delhi to restore statehood following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019.

Abdullah also commented on political developments in Tamil Nadu, where actor-turned-politician Vijay and his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, were not invited by the governor to form a government after elections resulted in a hung assembly.

Citing past Supreme Court judgments, Abdullah said the single largest party should ordinarily be invited to form the government and prove its majority on the floor of the House.

Referring to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, he recalled that Vajpayee had been invited to form the government in 1996 despite lacking a majority and later resigned after failing to secure sufficient support.

“Vijay should be allowed to form the government and prove his majority in the Assembly. If he fails, then naturally he will have to resign,” Abdullah said.

On the issue of electoral roll revision, Abdullah said it was too early to assess its implications for Jammu and Kashmir, noting that Assembly elections in the region were not due before 2029.

However, he renewed criticism of the delimitation exercise carried out in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging it had been designed to politically benefit the BJP and its allies.