NC Dissent Surfaces As 18 Legislators Meet In Srinagar

According to sources, around 18 legislators, including 17 NC MLAs and one Independent supporting the ruling alliance, assembled at the residence of Lolab MLA Qaiser Jamsheed Lone in the Humhama area of Srinagar on Friday. The meeting, which lasted several hours, focused on examining the fallout of the recent cabinet reshuffle and deliberating on issues that several legislators believe are causing unease within the party ranks.

Sources privy to the deliberations said the legislators reviewed developments following the cabinet expansion and discussed what they termed a lack of equitable political representation and growing dissatisfaction among sections of the party. The participants reportedly resolved to convey their concerns directly to the NC leadership, maintaining that their objective was not to challenge the party but to draw attention to issues they believe could adversely impact its cohesion and political prospects.

Several legislators who attended the meeting are understood to have described the gathering as a corrective exercise rather than an act of rebellion. Speakers reportedly stressed that it was their responsibility to place the prevailing concerns "in black and white" before the leadership in the larger interest of the party and the government. They maintained that the discussions were aimed at strengthening the organisation and preventing further divisions within the NC.

The meeting comes days after visible signs of resentment emerged within the ruling alliance during the oath-taking ceremony of newly inducted ministers. A number of legislators reportedly stayed away from the event, a move widely interpreted in political circles as an expression of dissatisfaction over the cabinet expansion.

Sources said there was broad consensus among the legislators that ministers who have completed two years in office should make way for new faces. The participants are understood to have advocated a wider reshuffle to accommodate legislators who feel overlooked despite their contributions to the party and government.

In a significant development, the legislators are also reported to have demanded the removal of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Advisor, Nasir Aslam Wani, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Minister Javed Rana, and NC Treasurer Shami Oberoi. Those present at the meeting allegedly held these leaders responsible for several of the issues currently generating discontent within the party.

The participation of 18 legislators is being viewed as a serious indication of unease within the NC, particularly as sources claim that some lawmakers who share similar concerns were unable to attend due to prior commitments. This has fuelled speculation that the dissent may extend beyond those who were physically pose an early political challenge for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, whose government has sought to project stability following the cabinet expansion. While the dissident legislators insist that their initiative is intended to strengthen rather than weaken the party, the emergence of such a coordinated grouping highlights the growing pressure on the NC leadership to address internal grievances and restore unity within its ranks.

For now, party leaders have not issued any formal response to the reported demands, but Friday 's meeting has underscored the extent of dissatisfaction brewing within sections of the ruling party and has added a new dimension to the political debate surrounding the recent cabinet reshuffle.

The dissenting legislators are also learnt to have reached out to party rebel MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi in an apparent bid to seek his support. However, sources said Mehdi remained unmoved by the overtures and made it clear that his previously announced decision to resign from the Lok Sabha on November 3 was final and non-negotiable.

According to sources, Mehdi reiterated his criticism of the Omar Abdullah-led government, accusing the Chief Minister of straying from the commitments made to the people during the 2024 Assembly election campaign. He is understood to have expressed particular disappointment over what he described as the government's failure to make meaningful progress on key political promises, especially the restoration of J&K's special constitutional status.

Sources further said that while Mehdi acknowledged the concerns being raised by the disgruntled legislators, he declined to associate himself with their campaign, maintaining that his differences with the party leadership stem from broader political and ideological issues rather than the recent cabinet reshuffle. His reported refusal to join the emerging faction is being seen as a setback for the dissident group, which had hoped to secure the backing of one of the most influential and outspoken voices within the NC.