NC cabinet reshuffle sparks discontent as senior leaders left out express disappointment

Srinagar: After nearly two years in government, the National Conference (NC)-led administration in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday expanded its Cabinet by inducting four senior party leaders, even as the reshuffle triggered disappointment and resentment among some party leaders who were left out of the new Council of Ministers.

The oath-taking ceremony, held at the Lok Bhavan Auditorium in Srinagar, was administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Senior NC leaders Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shameema Firdous and Altaf Kalo were among those inducted into the Cabinet.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accompanied by members of his team, arrived at Lok Bhavan earlier in the day as guests gathered for the ceremony.

The reshuffle followed the resignation of the five incumbent ministers ahead of the Cabinet reorganisation, paving the way for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah to restructure the Council of Ministers.

While the induction of the new ministers was welcomed by their supporters, the decision also exposed discontent within sections of the party, with senior leaders expressing disappointment over their exclusion.

Reacting to the induction of Ali Mohammad Sagar, party leader Salman Sagar thanked the National Conference leadership, including Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, for giving the veteran leader another opportunity to serve the people.

Highlighting Sagar's extensive political experience, Salman Sagar said the veteran leader had served in four different governments, including two administrations led by Farooq Abdullah and the current government headed by Omar Abdullah.

He expressed confidence that Sagar's experience, political wisdom and decades of public service would help him meet people's expectations.

“Considering Sagar Sahib's political experience, his wisdom and his 50 years of experience in politics, I am fully confident that this will be for the betterment of the people,” he said, adding that the veteran leader would continue to serve the public to the best of his ability.

However, the Cabinet expansion was not welcomed by everyone within the party. Hours after the ceremony, supporters of senior National Conference leader Mubarak Ahmad Gul staged a protest at the party headquarters in the Nawa-i-Subh Complex in Srinagar, raising slogans in his favour and expressing resentment over his exclusion from the Cabinet.

Gul, a six-time MLA, has represented the Eidgah constituency in 1983, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014 and 2024. Following the reshuffle, Farooq Abdullah reached out to the veteran leader and appointed him as the National Conference's general secretary.

The protest reflected the disappointment among sections of the party's rank and file over the distribution of Cabinet berths, particularly among leaders who believe their seniority and years of service warranted a place in the government.

Another senior leader, Abdul Majeed Larmi, also voiced strong disappointment over his exclusion, arguing that his seniority, loyalty and long-standing contribution to the party should have been taken into consideration.

“This was not fair to me,” Larmi said, while acknowledging that several leaders inducted into the Cabinet were deserving of the opportunity.

Referring to his political standing in South Kashmir, Larmi said he considered himself the senior-most leader in the region, from Pampore to the tunnel, and believed his record of dedication, honesty and loyalty made him a strong contender for a Cabinet berth.

“I was dedicated, honest and loyal. I had all the qualities that should have been there in the book, so to speak. Unfortunately, I was not inducted,” he said.

Describing the decision as personally painful, Larmi added that the exclusion had hurt him emotionally, particularly in view of his expectations from the party leadership.

The Cabinet expansion has brought fresh opportunities for the four inducted leaders while simultaneously highlighting the challenge of managing expectations within the National Conference.

For some leaders and their supporters, the reshuffle represents recognition of experience and an opportunity to strengthen the government's functioning. For others, the exclusion of senior figures has raised questions about the criteria used in allocating Cabinet positions.

With protests already reported at the party headquarters and senior leaders publicly expressing their disappointment, the responsibility now rests with the NC leadership to address the concerns of those left out and prevent the reshuffle from deepening internal differences.