Srinagar, October 31: The National Conference (NC) on Saturday denied reports of a rebellion within the party following the recent expansion of the Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers, saying any differences among legislators would be addressed through internal discussions.
The clarification came a day after a group of NC legislators reportedly met at a residence in Srinagar, triggering speculation about dissatisfaction over the Cabinet expansion and the functioning of the Omar Abdullah-led government.
Addressing a press conference, NC Provincial Secretary for Kashmir Showkat Mir told Kashmir Convener that the gathering was an informal meeting ahead of the biannual Darbar Move and should not be interpreted as a challenge to the party leadership.
Mir said an MLA had invited colleagues to his residence ahead of the shifting of government offices to Jammu to discuss the prevailing political situation. He acknowledged that the legislators had discussed the possibility of sending a delegation of senior leaders to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and convey their concerns. “There was no rebellion whatsoever,” Mir said.
He disputed reports about the number of legislators who attended the meeting, saying different figures ranging from 11 to 27 were being circulated. He also rejected the BJP’s suggestion that the developments could lead to a change of government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mir said several senior legislators, including former ministers, Speakers and Deputy Speakers, had attended the gathering. He described internal discussions as part of the party’s democratic process and said the leadership would address any concerns.
The meeting comes in the wake of the recent Cabinet expansion, in which four NC legislators—Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo—were inducted into the Council of Ministers. Independent legislator Satish Sharma was dropped.
The limited number of ministerial positions under the Union Territory framework has left several legislators outside the government. Under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the Council of Ministers cannot exceed nine members, including the Chief Minister.
Mir said aspirations for ministerial positions were natural, particularly among legislators who had won three or more consecutive elections. However, he said the Chief Minister had to make appointments within the limits prescribed under the existing framework.
He expressed hope that the Centre would fulfil its commitment to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which would increase the strength of the Council of Ministers.
Mir also clarified the continuation of Ali Mohammad Sagar as the party’s general secretary after his induction into the Cabinet. He said senior leader Mubarak Gul had been assigned the organisational responsibility, but had sought time to consult party workers in his constituency.
According to Mir, with the local body election process in Kargil beginning and party mandate forms required for candidates, party president Farooq Abdullah asked Sagar to continue as general secretary until further orders to complete the election-related formalities.
He described the arrangement as temporary and said it should not be seen as an indication of internal differences.
“A rift occurs when two factions develop deep ideological opposition against each other. Within internal democracy, people have the right to claim, ‘This is my right.’ The leadership will convince them,” Mir said.
Separately, Tribal Affairs Minister Javed Rana also dismissed reports of a split in the NC, accusing the BJP of attempting to weaken the regional party since 2019.
“The BJP’s wishes will not be fulfilled. The NC is a strong organisation, both politically and organisationally, and there is nothing to worry about,” Rana told reporters in Jammu.
He said the party had remained united through political challenges following the abrogation of Article 370 and the 2024 Assembly elections. He also rejected the possibility of what he described as “Operation Lotus” succeeding in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rana said the existing ministerial ceiling made it impossible to accommodate every legislator and that restoration of statehood would create more opportunities for party leaders.
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