Internal friction has surfaced within Jammu and Kashmir's ruling National Conference following a recent round of administrative appointments. Several elected representatives who felt sidelined during the ministerial distribution are openly voicing their concerns. To address this growing discontent, the aggrieved legislators are expected to convene a key meeting on Friday, November 6, with party president Farooq Abdullah. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is also anticipated to attend the gathering as leadership seeks to defuse grievances and restore discipline within party ranks.
Discontent Triggered by Ministry Reorganisation
The current dissatisfaction stems directly from the cabinet expansion conducted on October 27, when 4 new ministers were inducted into the government. With these inductions, the council of ministers reached its statutory ceiling of 9 members, which is the maximum permissible limit under current administrative rules. Because the legal quota is now exhausted, several influential senior figures were left without portfolios, sparking widespread disappointment among veteran leaders and their core political supporters.
Supporters Protest Mubarak Gul's Exclusion
The strongest reaction has emerged around Mubarak Gul, a six-time MLA representing the Idgah constituency. Despite his extensive legislative record, Gul was not accommodated in the fresh ministry setup, prompting a section of party workers to stage active protests against his exclusion. Following the ministerial oath-taking, disgruntled MLAs held an internal consultation to discuss organisational and administrative matters, though they chose not to disclose the specific deliberations to the public.
Members aligned with Gul had initially scheduled a formal media interaction for Wednesday. However, that briefing was abruptly called off once plans were put in place for the critical Friday discussion with Farooq Abdullah, indicating an effort to resolve tensions through internal dialogue first.
Party Leadership Rejects Claims of Rebellion
Publicly, the National Conference has dismissed any narrative suggesting a broader rebellion or political instability facing the administration. Party officials have described the scheduled interaction with the legislators as an ordinary social meeting rather than a crisis session.
Addressing the speculation during a press conference on Wednesday, Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar played down talk of an internal revolt. He maintained that the organisation remains cohesive, adding that rumours of rift and rebellion are merely being amplified by individuals with vested interests seeking to create unnecessary controversy.
