Farooq Abdullah calls rebel MLAs' demands genuine in Srinagar meeting
Chief minister Omar Abdullah offered to resign during talks with 15 National Conference legislators to address internal party challenges.
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah and Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah met with 15 of the 25 rebel MLAs at Farooq Abdullah's residence on Friday morning. According to the Times of India, the two-hour meeting aimed to resolve an internal crisis within the party.
During the discussions, Farooq Abdullah described the grievances of the legislators as genuine. Omar Abdullah reportedly offered to step down multiple times, stating that criticism of his cabinet ministers and adviser Nasir Aslam Wani was a challenge to his leadership. Sources said the chief minister left the meeting on three occasions before the MLAs convinced him to return.
The meeting did not resolve the rebels' primary demands, which include the removal of Wani and the replacement of all eight ministers, including Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary. However, the group agreed to form consultative committees for each cabinet minister and a manifesto committee to track election promises, such as the restoration of the special status of Jammu & Kashmir.
Farooq Abdullah addressed the media after the meeting, dismissing claims of a party split and asserting that the NC remains united. He stated that the party would consider the concerns raised and take measures to strengthen both the government and the party.
Bijbehara MLA Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri said the party remains committed to Article 370 and will aggressively pursue the restoration of statehood. One rebel legislator noted that the leadership agreed to consider a cabinet reshuffle within one year.