SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday changed the venue of a crucial meeting with ruling alliance National Conference (NC) and independent MLAs from his official residence at Gupkar in Srinagar to Dachigam national park in Harwan area in Srinagar outskirts, triggering political curiosity.
The meeting was initially set to take place at Omar Abdullah’s Gupkar residence. The NC MLAs and MPs and independent legislators supporting the Omar government arrived at the venue in the morning as planned.
However, after all the MLAs and MPS had assembled at his Gupkar residence, the CM changed the meeting venue to the Dachigam national park. The legislators and MPs were subsequently taken to the new venue in a convoy of vehicles.
"Crossed Shalimar for unknown destination!," NC MLA Bashir Ahmed Veeri posted on X. It was perhaps for first time in Jammu and Kashmir that elected representatives attending a ruling party meeting were collectively transported to a designated location.
Amid speculation over the sudden change of venue, Omar took to social media platform X to clarify that the shift was not a last-minute decision.
“It has not been shifted at the last moment. It was always my intention to conduct this meeting off-site and all arrangements have been made, days in advance, at the location originally chosen by me,” the CM clarified.
Omar will be chairing the meeting of NC legislators and four independent MLAs backing the government to deliberate on matters of "collective importance" and "public welfare."
Sources in NC say the meeting will focus on governance, administrative functioning, and internal political challenges. The meeting assumes significance as it is taking place after increasingly visible dissent within the ruling camp.
NC MLAs Basheer Ahmad Veeri and Shabir Ahmad Kullay, along with independent MLA Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, have raised concerns. Veeri is unhappy over unfulfilled promises on reservation policy rationalisation and Kullay and Khan are disappointed over broader governance failures and the exclusion of elected representatives from decision-making process.
Sources said dissatisfaction is not limited to a few legislators but many NC MLAs are disappointed over their side lining in governance matters. The internal friction within the NC is also behind prolonged delay in cabinet expansion. Despite having three vacancies, Omar has so far refrained from filling the vacancies to avoid internal friction within the party.
Today's meeting is seen as an attempt by the CM to reach out to disgruntled MLAs and prevent internal dissent from widening further.
