Srinagar, October 24: Peoples Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s public remarks asking party legislators to stop lobbying for ministerial positions, saying the comments undermined the dignity of elected representatives.
Lone was responding to Abdullah’s interaction with reporters after meeting Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The Chief Minister said decisions on the proposed Cabinet expansion had been taken and asked colleagues to stop sending messages, making calls or approaching him and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah for ministerial berths.
Lone described the Chief Minister’s tone as dismissive and argued that legislators who could not be accommodated in the Cabinet should still be treated respectfully. He questioned how elected members could face their constituents after being publicly portrayed in such a manner.
Although ministerial appointments were an internal party matter, Lone said public criticism of individual MLAs could diminish the standing of the wider political class. “Spare the political class this belittlement. We deserve better,” he said.
