Governance, Statehood to dominate NC meet; focus on R&B Fund Row
Srinagar, Jun 2: All eyes are on the crucial meeting of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah with National Conference MLAs and MPs, and five independent MLAs supporting his government.
Sources said that all NC MLAs, four MPs, and the five independent MLAs have been invited to the meeting, which will be chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself.
The party leadership is tight‑lipped about the agenda of the meeting, with sources suggesting that only the Chief Minister is aware of the issues to be discussed.
“Nobody, including ministers, has any idea what will be discussed in the meeting or what agenda will come up,” sources said, adding that governance-particularly the functioning of ministers-would be discussed threadbare.
Sources further said that MLAs from Pir Panchal have complained to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah about bias in the allotment of funds by the Roads & Buildings Ministry under different schemes.
“They have alleged that the Deputy CM’s constituency has virtually walked away with all the funds of the R&B Department, while their segments have been allotted peanuts,” sources said, adding that they cited allocations made under different schemes by the R&B Department.
The political parties in J&K are keenly watching the outcome of the meeting particularly NC’s stance on the issue of statehood.
The development assumes added significance in light of remarks made by Omar Abdullah last month. Addressing a public gathering in Tangmarg on May 6, the Chief Minister had hinted that he had much to say on certain critical issues but was deliberately exercising restraint.
“I want to burst like a cloudburst,” Omar had remarked.
NC meeting a floor test for Omar’s leadership: LoP
Srinagar, Jun 2: Describing the National Conference’s June 3 meeting as a floor test, Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Sharma on Tuesday said that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s paranoia over losing power has reduced governance to loyalty parades.
Sharma said that Omar Abdullah is fearful of losing power and is compelling his MLAs to participate in weekly loyalty parades.
“This meeting is nothing more than a floor test. Omar Abdullah has started a weekly ritual of floor tests to check the loyalty of his MLAs. The first such test was conducted in the name of the Provincial Working Committee meeting, the second was a dinner hosted by the Deputy Chief Minister, and the third is tomorrow’s meeting of the Chief Minister with MLAs,” he said.
On criticism by the National Conference over his statement that Omar Abdullah would not resign even if relegated to the position of Chief Executive Councillor of a Hill Council, Sharma said that he stands by every word, adding that the past conduct of the Chief Minister proves he would not quit even as Sarpanch or Panch so long as the cavalcade of vehicles and VIP protocol remains intact.
“Is it not a fact that Omar Abdullah repeatedly said from 2020 to 2024 that he would not humiliate himself by entering the legislature of a Union Territory? Is he not the same man who stated in 2024 that he would not sit outside the waiting room of the LG and ask him to sign files? What made him change his mind? Let me tell the people of Kashmir: the Abdullah family has only one ideology-power,” he said.
