Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will hold a key meeting today with a group of disgruntled MLAs of his party, who have raised a banner of revolt after a recent cabinet reshuffle.
Besides the removal of Nasir Aslam Wani as the advisor to the Chief Minister, the dissenter group has demanded that the deputy chief minister, Surinder Choudhary, be divested of the PWD ministry immediately. “We have taken an oath to fight for internal democracy in the party. “We are not rebels. We want to strengthen the party. Everyone in the meeting wanted the party to remain united.
At least 18 of the 41 National Conference MLAs are demanding sweeping reforms in government and organisational functioning, accountability, and the removal of the Chief Minister’s key aide.
The disgruntled MLAs have expressed concern over a “growing disconnect between expectations of people and functioning of government” and flagged alleged misgovernance, lack of accountability and lack of consultation with the elected representatives. Demanding the removal of Wani as advisor to the Chief Minister, the dissenters have accused the adviser of the “growing disconnect between the party leadership, elected representatives and the Government”. We want accountability, a roadmap for the implementation of the party manifesto and empowerment of MLAs,” said an MLA. We are only asking for accountability and not allowing the party and the government to be treated as a fiefdom of some individuals,” said a senior leader.
