J&K cabinet reshuffle sparks dissent in NC; disgruntled MLAs hold closed-door meeting

"About 20 NC MLAs and a few independent legislators supporting the government attended the closed-door meeting, which discussed the recent cabinet reshuffle and expressed concerns over the exclusion of several senior party leaders from the Council of Ministers," they said.

NC MLA Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, who is unhappy with the reshuffle, confirmed the meeting. However, he played down its political significance, saying the legislators had been invited by Lone for a meal.

Gurezi admitted that he was disappointed at not being included in the Cabinet but maintained that he would not demand a ministerial berth.

"I have never demanded anything from the party," he said.

Sources said the meeting reflected growing dissatisfaction among NC legislators, who believe the Cabinet formation did not adequately consider seniority and merit.

"It was felt that the Chief Minister had accommodated people close to him in the Cabinet instead of going by merit and seniority," they said.

The disgruntled legislators are likely to submit a representation to the party leadership, seeking the removal of four ministers who have been part of the government since its formation and their replacement with new faces.

The closed-door meeting is being seen as an attempt by the disgruntled MLAs to build pressure on the party leadership and the government to reconsider the Cabinet composition and accommodate those who have been sidelined.

Two senior NC leaders, Mubarak Gul, a six-time MLA, and Abdul Majeed Larmi, a four-time MLA, have publicly expressed their displeasure. Their supporters have also staged protests, describing the leadership's decision as unacceptable and demanding a rethink.

On Friday evening, Gul's supporters staged a torchlight procession demanding his inclusion in the Cabinet.

The resentment was also evident during Tuesday's oath-taking ceremony at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar, which was skipped by at least 11 NC legislators.

The four new ministers inducted into the Cabinet are Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamim Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani (Kaloo), while independent MLA from Jammu Satish Sharma was dropped.

NC MLA from Budhal in Rajouri, Choudhary Javed Iqbal, who did not attend the closed-door meeting, told that he, too, was disappointed with the reshuffle.

He said that during a meeting of NC legislators and ministers at Dachigam on June 3, the Chief Minister had assured them that Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary would either be dropped from the Cabinet or have his portfolios changed following complaints against him.

"We had complained that the Deputy CM was a non-performing minister and misbehaved with MLAs. Around 80 per cent of those present at the June 3 meeting had spoken against him," Iqbal said.

He expressed disappointment that Choudhary had retained his position and continued to hold the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio.

Iqbal said they had conveyed their displeasure to the Chief Minister after the reshuffle and that Omar had assured them he would discuss the matter after returning from Delhi.

Adding to the political messaging, NC MLA Basheer Ahmad Veeri, who attended the closed-door meeting, posted a quote by former US Secretary of State General Colin Powell on X.

"Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership," the post read.

Hours after the closed-door meeting of the party's disgruntled MLAs, NC president Farooq Abdullah removed dissenting MLA Mubarak Gul from the post of party general secretary and asked Ali Mohammad Sagar, who was inducted into the Cabinet, to continue as general secretary as well.