Disgruntled National Conference MLAs plan meeting with Farooq Abdullah
Dissident legislators are demanding the removal of ministers who have served two years following a recent cabinet expansion in Jammu and Kashmir.
A group of National Conference (NC) MLAs is set to meet party patron Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Friday to present demands following a recent cabinet reshuffle, according to a report by India Today.
The dissident legislators are reportedly seeking the removal of ministers who have completed two years in office. The group is expected to hold a meeting on Thursday to finalise their strategy before the talks with Abdullah.
The discontent follows an October 27 cabinet expansion that inducted four new ministers, bringing the council of ministers to its maximum limit of nine. The exclusion of senior leaders, such as six-time MLA Mubarak Gul, has reportedly caused resentment.
While reports of a rebellion have circulated, the NC leadership has dismissed these claims. Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar stated at a press conference on Wednesday that such allegations are being spread by people with vested interests, describing the upcoming gathering as a routine social lunch.
The stability of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's government faces questions if a large number of MLAs resign. The 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly requires 46 members for a majority. The current ruling alliance holds 54 seats, including 41 NC MLAs, six Congress MLAs, six Independents, and one CPM member.
If 20 NC MLAs resign and the Speaker accepts, the Assembly's effective strength would drop to 70, making the majority mark 36. In such a scenario, the ruling alliance would have 33 legislators if one Independent MLA also withdraws support, leaving the government three seats short of a majority.