“NC will address concerns”: Farooq after meeting disgruntled MLAs

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday dismissed reports of a split in the party, asserting that the organisation remained united and would not break.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with disgruntled party legislators at Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's residence in Srinagar, Farooq said reports of divisions within the National Conference were baseless.

“The baseless reports being spread that the National Conference is divided are completely false. This organisation is united, and those who think they can break this organisation should understand that it has never been broken and will never be broken,” he said.

He said the party leadership had discussed the legislators' concerns and given them due consideration.

“Everyone was heard, and some steps will be taken soon, while others will be taken gradually,” he said, adding that efforts would be made to strengthen the party and the government so that people's difficulties could be addressed.

Senior NC leader Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, who also spoke after the meeting, rejected speculation that the disgruntled legislators were planning to form a separate party.

He said the legislators had repeatedly approached the party leadership with their concerns and that a meeting held a few days ago had been exaggerated on social media as an indication of a breakaway faction.

“No party has come out of the National Conference,” Gurezi said.

He added that the legislators had raised political and other issues with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah, who had assured them that their concerns would be addressed.

Gurezi said some issues would be resolved immediately, while work would continue on others.

The meeting comes amid discontent within the ruling party following Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's Cabinet expansion on October 27, when four new ministers were inducted and Independent MLA Satish Sharma was dropped.

The reshuffle reportedly triggered resentment among several party legislators who were unhappy over being overlooked for ministerial positions. A group of NC legislators had subsequently held a meeting at the Srinagar residence of MLA Qaisar Jamsheed Lone to discuss their grievances, fuelling speculation about internal divisions within the party.

Farooq Abdullah also reiterated that the National Conference would continue its political struggle for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and Articles 370 and 35A.

“Our fight for the restoration of Statehood, as well as our fight for Articles 370 and 35A, will continue, and it will be taken to its final conclusion,” he said.