Srinagar – November 6: Amid brewing discontent within the ruling party following the recent cabinet expansion, a group of 16 National Conference (NC) legislators is set to hold high-stakes discussions with party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar to place their grievances and structural demands directly before the top leadership.
Both Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah arrived in Srinagar from New Delhi and Jammu, respectively, ahead of the meeting scheduled for 10:30 AM on Thursday. Preceding the formal dialogue, the lawmakers convened a strategy session at the residence of senior MLA and former Member of Parliament Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi in Srinagar to formalize their joint charter of demands.
The 16-member group will be represented in discussions primarily by Hasnain Masoodi (Pampore), former Deputy Speaker Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi (Gurez), and Muzaffar Iqbal Khan (Thanamandi). Other participating MLAs include Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir (Rajpora), Javid Ahmad (Karnah), Saif-ud-Din Bhat (Khansahib), Qaisar Lone (Lolab), Farooq Ahmad Shah (Tangmarg), Mubarak Gul (Eidgah), Bashir Ahmad Veeri (Bijbehara), Abdul Majid Bhat alias Larmi (Anantnag West), Aijaz Ahmad Jan (Poonch Haveli), Javid Iqbal Choudhary (Budhal), Arjun Singh Raju (Ramban), Khursheed Ahmad (Gulabgarh), and Dr. Sajad Shafi (Uri). Meanwhile, Sonawari MLA Hilal Akbar Lone, who had earlier joined informal consultations, distanced himself from the group after meeting the Chief Minister in Jammu and reaffirming his allegiance.
Simmering friction within the ruling party surfaced publicly following Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent cabinet expansion, wherein four new ministers were inducted and one was dropped. Senior party stalwarts, including Mubarak Gul and Abdul Majeed Larmi, were among the first to voice strong disappointment over their exclusion from ministerial portfolios.
According to sources close to the developments, the legislators are pressing for comprehensive organizational and governance recalibrations. Key among their demands is the replacement of Nasir Aslam Wani as Advisor to the Chief Minister. The group has also demanded that the government intensify proactive efforts for the restoration of statehood and special status to Jammu and Kashmir, alongside enforcing the Dachigam resolution regarding cabinet restructuring and ministerial accountability.
On the administrative front, the legislators have proposed establishing a consultative advisory panel comprising 2–3 elected legislators tasked with regularly briefing the Chief Minister on constituency-level governance and project implementation. Within the party apparatus, their charter calls for a high-powered disciplinary committee, an internal grievance inquiry mechanism, an overhauled media and communication cell, a dedicated election cell, and the routine convening of the NC Working Committee.
Attempting to diffuse speculation of a rebellion, NC legislator Salman Sagar met with Nazir Gurezi and other lawmakers, maintaining that the party remains unified. “There is no rift in the National Conference. Some party legislators have voiced certain concerns, which are being constructively addressed. The leadership has been in active contact with them, and there is no room for outside speculation,” Sagar remarked.
Published by True Roots Media