Srinagar, November 6: Amid reports of growing discontent within the ruling National Conference (NC), several party MLAs on Friday met party president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar to discuss their grievances following the recent Cabinet expansion in Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting took place at Farooq Abdullah’s residence on Gupkar Road, where a group of legislators raised concerns over the composition of the Cabinet, representation of senior party leaders and the functioning of the government.
The discontent reportedly intensified after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reshuffled his Cabinet last month, inducting four new ministers. Several legislators were said to be unhappy over the selection of ministers and the exclusion of some senior leaders from the government.
The legislators are also understood to have raised issues concerning the functioning of the party organisation, the role of political advisers and the need to strengthen coordination between elected representatives and the government.
The developments come amid a series of meetings among dissatisfied NC legislators over the past week. The party has also faced criticism following Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s announcement of his resignation from the Lok Sabha and the National Conference.
The meeting was seen as an effort by the party leadership to listen to the concerns of its legislators and find a way forward. Farooq and Omar Abdullah heard the grievances raised by the MLAs as discussions focused on resolving internal differences.
The political developments have brought the party’s internal situation into focus, with the leadership facing the task of addressing the concerns of legislators while maintaining unity within the organisation.
