In a move that has sparked intense political interest in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called a meeting of National Conference (NC) MLAs and allied independents next week. The gathering is expected to deliberate on key governance issues against the backdrop of BJP claims that the ruling alliance is facing internal turbulence.
While Omar has invited the four independent MLAs supporting his government, what has attracted attention is the absence of all six Congress legislators from the invitee list, despite the party’s support to the ruling coalition. Congress had entered into a pre-poll alliance with the NC.
Omar has convened the crucial meeting in Srinagar on June 3 to discuss “matters of collective importance.” In the invitation letter to legislators, he stated that the meeting would deliberate on issues concerning public welfare and matters of collective importance. The meeting will be held at the Chief Minister’s residence on Gupkar Road, Srinagar, at 10 a.m.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of claims made by the Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma of the BJP, that several ruling-party MLAs were on the verge of switching sides.
Sharma claimed that the Omar Abdullah-led government would not complete its term and could collapse at any time.
While the detailed agenda has not been officially disclosed, the development has generated considerable political interest across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting assumes added significance in light of Omar Abdullah’s recent remarks at a public function in Tangmarg, where he hinted at making an important political statement after Eid. At the time, he had indicated that he would speak openly on key issues at an appropriate public platform following the festival.
Among the issues expected to figure prominently are the restoration of statehood, administrative reforms, and matters related to governance and development. The dual power structure in the Union Territory, according to many observers, has created uncertainty and contributed to a lack of accountability within the administration.
Ahead of Omar Abdullah’s meeting with NC legislators, Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma on Sunday said that the Chief Minister’s proposed interaction with MLAs was an attempt to ensure that internal differences within the party did not spill into the public domain.
He remarked that Omar Abdullah would not resign even from the position of an executive councillor as long as his protocol and privileges remained intact.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Sharma alleged that Omar would accept any status for Jammu and Kashmir—even one below that of a Union Territory—provided his official protocol remained unaffected.
In a sharp rebuttal to Sharma’s remarks, NC spokesperson Tahir Sayeed said that despite five years of political manoeuvring and what he described as gerrymandering through the delimitation process, the people of Jammu and Kashmir had decisively rejected the BJP. “Your party may be accustomed to entering power through the backdoor, but that option does not exist here,” he said.
In a scathing attack on the BJP, Rattan Lal Gupta, Provincial President of the National Conference, alleged that “power-hungry” leaders were conspiring to create political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir and undermine the mandate given to the government by the people.
Gupta further alleged that certain BJP leaders were deliberately creating unnecessary confrontation and political instability in the Union Territory to satisfy their “hunger for power.”