Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Nov 6
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday met a group of disgruntled party legislators in Srinagar and assured them that their grievances would be addressed in phases, amid growing internal discontent following the October 27 cabinet expansion.
The meeting was held at Farooq Abdullah’s Gupkar residence, with around 15 to 16 legislators participating.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, the NC president acknowledged the concerns raised by the legislators and said the leadership would act on some of them immediately while taking up others gradually.
“We have spoken to them. Their problems were genuine, and we heard them properly. We will take some steps quickly and some steps slowly,” he said.
Farooq rejected reports of a possible split in the party, describing them as baseless and insisting that the National Conference remained united.
He also reiterated the party’s commitment to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and Articles 370 and 35-A, saying the matter would be pursued in the Supreme Court.
NC legislator from Gurez, Nazir Ahmad Khan, popularly known as Gurezi, said the meeting had resulted in assurances from the party leadership and denied that the legislators were attempting to form a separate faction.
The legislators have authorised Gurezi to speak to the media on their behalf.
“We are legislators of the National Conference. Whenever we have issues, we take them to our party leadership,” he said.
He said some social media accounts had portrayed the legislators’ earlier consultations as an attempt to establish a separate political formation, which he denied.
“There were certain issues which we brought to the Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) Sahab and Farooq (Abdullah) Sahab. They have assured us that whether these are political issues or other matters, some will be addressed immediately while others will be resolved gradually,” Gurezi said.
The internal consultations began after the October 27 cabinet expansion, which triggered dissatisfaction among sections of the party.
The legislators’ first closed-door meeting was held at the Humhama residence of Lolab MLA Qaysar Jamshaid Lone. Seventeen NC legislators and an independent MLA from Thanamandi had reportedly expressed collective solidarity at the meeting.
Subsequent meetings were held at the Tulsi Bagh residence of Gurezi and the Haiderpora residence of Gulmarg MLA Pirzada Farooq Ahmad Shah.
Their fourth meeting took place on November 5 at the Sanat Nagar residence of Hasnain Masoodi, with 20 legislators participating, including 16 in person and four virtually.
The group had prepared a charter of demands covering governance, ministerial accountability and restructuring of the party organisation.
Among the reported demands were stronger efforts to restore statehood and special status for Jammu and Kashmir, implementation of the Dachigam resolution concerning cabinet restructuring and ministerial accountability, and changes in the Chief Minister’s inner circle.
The legislators also sought a consultative advisory group comprising two to three MLAs to brief the Chief Minister regularly on governance and development issues.
Other demands included setting up a high-powered disciplinary committee and an inquiry panel to address party grievances, strengthening the party’s media and communications machinery, holding regular meetings of the NC Working Committee, establishing an election cell and undertaking comprehensive organisational restructuring.
