15 NC MLAs Meet At Farooq Abdullah's Residence In Srinagar As Rebellion Puts Omar Abdullah Under Pressure

Fifteen disgruntled National Conference MLAs gathered at party president Farooq Abdullah’s Srinagar home on Thursday for a crucial meeting aimed at containing the widening rebellion against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Omar has declined to meet the lone Independent MLA in the dissident group and is prepared to speak only with NC legislators, according to India Today.

The gathering comes amid rising anger over the recent Cabinet expansion and the way the Omar Abdullah-led government is functioning. The report stated that the dissident legislators are expected to submit a formal resolution to the party high command as the internal crisis deepens.

Those who arrived for the meeting were Javed Mirchal, Sajad Shafi Uri, Ghulam Mohiuddin Mir, Farooq Jan, Bashir Ahmad Veeri, Abdul Majid Bhat alias Larmi, Farooq Ahmad Shah, Mubarak Gul, Justice (Retd.) Hasnain Masoodi, Nazir Ahmad Gurezi, Aijaz Ahmad Jan, Javed Iqbal Choudhary, Saif-ud-Din Bhat and Qaisar Jamshaid Lone.

Dissident Camp Strategy

Fifteen disgruntled NC MLAs and one Independent MLA held another closed-door meeting in Srinagar on Thursday evening to finalise their joint strategy. This was said to be the fourth meeting of its kind since the Cabinet reshuffle.

The report satted that the legislators remained united and were not ready to dilute their demands. They have argued that their move is meant to address internal grievances and save the party.

Their complaint goes back to the start of the NC government in October 2024. The rebels have alleged that they have faced continued humiliation and public disrespect from the chief minister and his close aides since the government came to power.

Three Key Demands

The group has stuck to three demands.

First, the MLAs want Omar Abdullah to strip all ministers of their portfolios and form a new Cabinet after proper consultations with the NC legislature party. That demand goes to the heart of the discontent over the recent reshuffle.

Second, they want Nasir Aslam Wani removed as adviser to the chief minister. Third, they want an assurance that MLAs will be treated with respect and that the party will set up an internal mechanism to address their genuine concerns.

The legislators have also signalled that they believe they have waited long enough. They are now seeking concrete action from the party leadership rather than another round of internal outreach.

Assembly Numbers Pressure

The rebellion has turned attention to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. The ruling alliance has 54 MLAs at present—41 from the National Conference, six Congress legislators, six Independents and one CPM member. The majority mark is 46.

The Opposition has 29 BJP MLAs, four from the PDP, one each from the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference and AAP and one Independent. That arithmetic has sharpened the political stakes of the current standoff inside the NC.

According to the scenario under discussion, if 20 disgruntled NC MLAs resign together and one Independent MLA withdraws support, the Assembly’s effective strength would fall to 70. The majority mark would then drop to 36, while the ruling alliance’s strength could fall to 33—21 NC MLAs, four Independents, six Congress MLAs and one CPM member.