Srinagar: A rebellion is brewing within the ruling National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir, with around two dozen of its legislators demanding a cabinet reshuffle and the removal of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s close aide and political adviser, Nasir Aslam Wani.The rebellion took shape on Friday (October 30) evening during a meeting of disgruntled leaders at the residence of NC MLA Qaiser Jamshaid Lone in Srinagar. According to party insiders, legislators reportedly adopted a resolution seeking the removal of all eight cabinet ministers, including deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary, within 15 days. The upset MLAs also demanded Wani’s resignation and greater consultation with elected representatives before key government appointments and allocation of portfolios.“We don’t want to destabilise the government or our party. It is not the time to do that. But we want our party leadership to understand the ground realities. Fight for statehood and restoration of Article 370; we are with you. We are not dying for ministerial berths, but we need to turn the dreams we have shown to the people into reality,” said a senior leader referring to the party’s election manifesto.According to NC legislators who were part of the meeting and wished to remain anonymous, Lone had invited all the MLAs for dinner, but some were busy, and some were out of station, so all couldn’t attend. “It’s not a closed-door meeting. We had gathered over get together where we discussed the issues we have been raising inside the party meetings,” he said, adding at least 18 MLAs attended in person, while few others participated through video conferencing.The meeting marks an “unorganised” expression of dissatisfaction within the party, which has been witnessing simmering tensions since forming the government in 2024. “We want to restore the democracy within the party. We don’t want to do politics; rather, we are trying to make the leadership aware of the ground realities. We are losing ground, and this is the right time to look into the party manifesto and prevent the government from collapsing,” he added.Also read: Two Years of Omar Abdullah Government: Unfulfilled Promises, Governance Gaps and Growing DissentHe also confirmed that a resolution has been submitted with their concerns to the chief minister including the removal of Nasir Aslam Wani from the position of political advisor.The revolt inside the NC became visible after Omar Abdullah’s recent cabinet expansion, in which four ministers were inducted in the cabinet. The new faces inducted include Shameema Firdous, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Wani taking the Council of Ministers’ strength to nine, including Abdullah.During the cabinet expansion, several senior legislators were overlooked, prompting allegations of favouritism and a lack of consultation.‘People close to Omar getting preference’“Tensions had been simmering in the party since 2024, as some senior colleagues felt sidelined. Everyone feels that people close to Omar were getting preference,” another NC legislator said.The legislator added that the arbitrary nature of the cabinet expansion had further aggravated tensions, particularly among senior party leaders who had remained loyal to the organisation for decades.Several legislators have also questioned Abdullah’s election campaign assurances to most of the legislators. Videos of the chief minister telling voters that a bigger victory margin would translate into a bigger ministerial portfolio have been circulating on social media. Video assurances show him making promises of giving ministerial berth to legislators from Tangmarg, Rajpora, Sopore and other constituencies.“I saw his video circulating online in which he assures people that their representatives will be given ministerial berths if they win with a huge margin. What was the need to promise ministerial positions to everyone when he knew that it was not possible?” a legislator asked.The tension within the party has also brought longstanding grievances of senior NC leaders into the open. Mubarak Gul, a senior legislator from Srinagar, and Abdul Majid Larmi, a three-time MLA from Anantnag, have publicly expressed resentment over being excluded from the cabinet. Their supporters have also held protests demanding ministerial representation.Nazir Ahmad Khan, the NC legislator from Gurez, is also understood to be unhappy with the developments.In an apparent attempt to address Gul’s grievances, NC president Farooq Abdullah appointed him as the party’s general secretary, replacing Ali Mohammad Sagar following his induction into the cabinet. However, Gul’s reported refusal to accept the position has added another complication.Larmi, meanwhile, is reportedly upset over being overlooked in favour of his junior, Altaf Ahmad Wani, who represents the Pahalgam constituency. Larmi broke down in tears while leaving the party office on cabinet expansion day. “It hurts. I have sacrificed everything for the party. I was deserving of a ministry, not my juniors,” Larmi told reporters while leaving the NC headquarters with moist eyes.Apart from the cabinet reshuffle, the legislators have raised objections to the influence exercised by Omar Abdullah’s close associates.The group has specifically sought the removal of Chief Minister’s adviser Nasir Aslam Wani and raised questions over the role of NC treasurer and Rajya Sabha MP Gurwinder Singh Oberoi, popularly known as Shammi Oberoi. They asked the purpose of filling these spaces with people like “defeated” Wani and “uncontested” Oberoi.Demand for statehoodBoth leaders have been criticised by some legislators for holding influential positions despite not securing an Assembly mandate. “If both of them were rejected by the people, why are they dictating what should be done in the government? They don’t have a presence on the ground. Parties are run from the ground, not from government vehicles and offices. If they are not elected representatives, I think their role should be confined to party affairs and not key decision-making in the government,” said a disgruntled legislator.“We have sent a letter to the chief minister and want to meet him to discuss these issues. People voted for us to fight for the restoration of Article 370, statehood and employment. If we cannot address these issues, we are of no use,” said a legislator, adding that they are waiting for his response to the letter.Also read: Jammu and Kashmir’s Elusive Statehood and the ‘Appropriate Time’ ParadoxThe cabinet controversy has also exposed concerns over regional representation within the government.Kupwara district, which contributed five of the NC’s six assembly seats in the district, has representation through minister Saifullah Mir. It also has a presence in the chief minister’s office through Nasir Aslam Wani, while senior leader Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan has been sent to the Rajya Sabha.In contrast, Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam and Bandipora districts reportedly have no representation in the cabinet.The removal of Satish Sharma has also left the Dogra heartland of Jammu without representation in the Council of Ministers. The Chenab Valley region continues to remain unrepresented as well.“There is an uneven distribution of ministries and power. Areas which have voted for the NC candidates during the peak of militancy are without representation. This is sheer injustice,” said a senior leader from central Kashmir who wished not to be named.In contrast, Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam and Bandipora districts reportedly have been left without representation in the cabinet. Former finance minister and senior NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather, who represents the Charar-i-Sharief constituency in central Kashmir, currently holds the position of assembly speaker.The removal of Satish Sharma has also left the Dogra heartland of Jammu without representation in the Council of Ministers. The Chenab Valley region continues to remain unrepresented as well.The upset legislators argue that such imbalances in distribution could affect the party’s relationship with its representatives and supporters across different regions.NC spokesperson Ifra Jan told The Wire that legislators had met but sought to play down the significance of the gathering. She said the meeting was not directed against the party and that some senior legislators wanted an appointment with party president Farooq Abdullah. “Everyone wants to become a minister, but there are only eight ministerial berths in the Union Territory setup,” Ifra said.One of the legislators who attended the meeting said the objective was to establish greater internal democracy within the party.“We want to convey our demands to the party high command. Our concerns are legitimate and are in the interest of the party and the government,” the legislator said.The resolution reportedly seeks the removal of ministers who have completed two years in office, fulfilment of commitments made to legislators and the public, and transparent decision-making on ministerial appointments.The internal crisis has also coincided with growing differences between Omar Abdullah and NC MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi.Also read: Why Ruhullah’s Resignation Is a Test of Omar Abdullah and NC’s Real StrengthRuhullah has indicated that he intends to quit the party and surrender his Lok Sabha seat on November 3, accusing the NC leadership of abandoning its promises on the restoration of Article 370 and protection of Jammu and Kashmir’s rights.In a post on X, Ruhullah accused the party leadership of treating Jammu and Kashmir as “an estate passed down through the family” and alleged that the NC had failed to honour commitments made to voters during the Assembly elections.He is scheduled to address a gathering in Budgam on November 3, the death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, who was assassinated in a terrorist attack in 2000. Ruhullah has been among the most vocal critics of Omar Abdullah’s government, particularly over its position on Article 370 and other political commitments made in the party manifesto.‘Act before it’s too late’Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly Sunil Sharma claimed that several NC legislators were unhappy with the party leadership and were looking for alternatives. He also criticised Omar Abdullah, accusing him of ignoring elected representatives.The NC has 41 MLAs in the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and runs a coalition government with the support of six Congress legislators, six independents and one CPI(M) legislator.With nearly 25 legislators reportedly backing demands for a cabinet overhaul, internal disagreements within the ruling party are now out in the open. Whether the leadership will accommodate the dissenting legislators or the confrontation will deepen remains to be seen.“There is no conspiracy against any leader or party. We just want leadership to understand that our demands are not personal; people have put faith in us and want us to perform. We want Farooq Sb and Omar Sb to act before it is too late. Some people want to see NC collapsing, but it’s in the hands of leadership now how they will stop it,” said a legislator from South Kashmir.Amid these issues, Omar announced his wedding with journalist Nidhi Razdan. The function was organised in New Delhi. Sharing pictures of his wedding on social media, Omar wrote: “A new journey began yesterday.”On July 31, the Supreme Court had granted Omar a divorce after being informed that he and his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, had settled their matrimonial dispute through mediation.