18 NC MLAs send 8-point memorandum to Farooq, Omar

Srinagar, Barely four days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expanded his Council of Ministers, 18 National Conference legislators have sent an eight-point memorandum to party president Farooq Abdullah and the Chief Minister, seeking a fresh cabinet restructuring, removal of the Chief Minister’s advisor and withdrawal of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) portfolio from Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary.

The memorandum, signed by all 18 legislators following a meeting at the residence of Qaiser Jamsheed Lone, has brought to the fore unresolved differences over the functioning of the government, with the signatories seeking implementation of decisions discussed at an earlier meeting of party legislators at Dachigam.

Top sources privy to the development told Rising Kashmir that the memorandum contains eight specific demands covering the government’s functioning, cabinet composition, implementation of the election manifesto and organisational reforms within the National Conference.

The legislators have sought time-bound implementation of the party’s election promises, restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status, implementation of the Dachigam discussions, cabinet restructuring, changes in the Chief Minister’s advisory arrangements and creation of new mechanisms for consultation and communication.

Sources said the memorandum was sent to both Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah after the legislators concluded that several issues raised at Dachigam had not been addressed in the recent cabinet exercise.

“The issues raised in the memorandum were already discussed at Dachigam. The legislators expected decisions on those matters, particularly concerning the cabinet and complaints against certain ministers. However, the subsequent changes did not address those concerns,” a senior source familiar with the deliberations said.

Among the most significant demands is the implementation of the Dachigam discussions, including removal of ministers against whom legislators had raised allegations of corruption.

The memorandum also seeks another restructuring of the Council of Ministers and confidence-building measures within the ruling party.

Sources said the legislators have specifically demanded that the R&B portfolio be withdrawn from Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, maintaining that the issue had figured in the earlier discussions at Dachigam.

The removal of the Chief Minister’s advisor is another demand contained in the memorandum.

The fresh demands have emerged immediately after the October 27 cabinet expansion, which was expected to address concerns over ministerial representation and the functioning of the government.

The expansion brought four National Conference legislators into the Council of Ministers and took the cabinet to its permitted strength. However, the memorandum indicates that the exercise has not settled concerns among the 18 signatories.

Sources said the legislators had expected the leadership to act on the issues discussed at Dachigam while undertaking the cabinet changes, but found that several of their recommendations remained unimplemented.

The legislators have demanded a time-bound roadmap for fulfilling the commitments made to voters, alongside sustained efforts towards restoration of statehood and special status.

Beyond the cabinet and electoral commitments, the signatories have sought the establishment of a four-member consultative advisory group to regularly brief the Chief Minister on political and administrative developments.

Sources said the proposed mechanism is intended to ensure that concerns raised by legislators reach the Chief Minister directly and are considered in decision-making.

The memorandum further proposes a dedicated media and electronic cell that would report developments directly to the Chief Minister, besides organisational reforms aimed at improving coordination between the party leadership, legislators and the organisation.