"As party veterans tread carefully, bold reformist moves and growing rifts put NC’s unity at stake in Jammu and Kashmir’s turbulent political landscape".
The National Conference (NC), a cornerstone of Jammu and Kashmir’s political history, finds itself in uncharted waters as tensions between its leadership deepen. The absence of six NC MLAs from today’s District Development Coordination & Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting in Srinagar—chaired by MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi—has sparked fresh concerns about the party’s cohesion.
While Ruhullah downplayed the absence, attributing it to logistical issues, his recent confrontational stance has placed him at odds with the party establishment. Last week’s student-led protest outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s residence, spearheaded by Ruhullah, added fuel to the fire. His demand to amend the reservation policy, a contentious issue in J&K, was criticized by Hazratbal MLA Salman Ali Sagar, who accused Ruhullah of undermining the party’s unity and giving political opponents a platform.
Omar Abdullah, known for his composed leadership, responded subtly by meeting the absent MLAs at his residence shortly after the DISHA meeting, addressing local governance issues while signaling solidarity among his faction. His actions appear to sideline Ruhullah, whose vocal criticisms of the NC leadership, including references to Malcolm X’s bold analogies