Srinagar, May 8: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday sought to put to rest mounting speculation over a possible expansion of his council of ministers, asserting that the exercise has been stalled solely because the Union Territory is yet to regain statehood and not due to any internal dissension within the ruling National Conference.
The clarification comes amid growing political chatter in Srinagar over a likely cabinet reshuffle and reports of unease among certain legislators within the ruling alliance.
Responding sharply to the remarks, Omar Abdullah accused the BJP of attempting to create instability in Jammu and Kashmir for political gains and said the opposition’s statements reflected its “impatience” to return to power.
“There is no Eknath Shinde in the National Conference. Our MLAs stand firmly with the party,” the Chief Minister told reporters, in a direct rebuttal to Sharma’s comments. He further alleged that the BJP was unwilling to allow the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir to function smoothly unless it was in power itself.
Shinde, once a senior leader in the undivided Shiv Sena, had broken away from the party in 2022 along with a group of MLAs and later joined hands with the BJP to form the government in Maharashtra, a political episode that has since become shorthand for defections engineered with BJP backing.
“The cabinet expansion has not been halted out of fear. It is on hold because Jammu and Kashmir has not been granted statehood,” Abdullah said, reiterating his government’s long-standing demand for restoration of full statehood to the Union Territory.
In a politically loaded attack, the Chief Minister said statements from the opposition showed that the BJP was using the issue of statehood as a pressure tactic. “People of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those who voted for the BJP, should remember that the BJP and its leaders are indulging in blackmail politics by linking governance and statehood to political power,” he said.
The remarks underline the increasingly confrontational tone between the ruling National Conference-led government and the BJP, even as the Omar Abdullah administration continues to press New Delhi for restoration of statehood promised after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The Chief Minister also weighed in on the political developments in Tamil Nadu, where the Governor declined to invite Vijay and his party, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), to form the government after recent electoral developments left no party with a clear majority.
Citing past Supreme Court rulings, Abdullah said the single largest party should ordinarily be invited to form the government and prove its majority on the floor of the House. He argued that there was “no justification” for imposing President’s Rule without exhausting constitutional options.
Referring to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah recalled how Vajpayee had been invited to form the government in 1996 despite lacking numbers and later resigned after failing to secure majority support.
“Vijay should be allowed to form the government and prove his majority in the Assembly. If he fails, then naturally he will have to resign,” the Chief Minister said.
On the issue of the SIR of electoral rolls, Abdullah said it was premature to assess its implications for Jammu and Kashmir, noting that Assembly elections in the Union Territory are not due before 2029. However, he renewed criticism of the delimitation exercise carried out in J&K, alleging it was designed to politically benefit the BJP and its allies.
