Internal differences within Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) have come into sharp focus, with senior leaders publicly criticising each other over the reservation policy and local governance issues.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Thursday dismissed concerns raised by party MLA Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri over the reservation policy, calling his actions “drama”.
“If he were so concerned about people, he should go and ask the LG, as the sub-committee has already submitted its report. He cannot mislead people by doing drama,” Choudhary told reporters outside the Assembly complex in Jammu.
The remarks came on Thursday, a day after Veeri turned emotional in the Legislative Assembly, urging the government to permit the introduction of his bill related to the reservation policy.
While addressing the House, Veeri also shared a personal account to highlight his concerns.
“I am very emotional in this matter. I am not challenging anyone…. I am talking about our children. My only son lives in England and doesn’t want to return, as he says Papa, you don’t have any opportunities for us (open merit candidates).”
Earlier, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had also publicly rebuked Veeri, questioning his ability to represent constituents.
“If he is not able to listen to people, he should not be an MLA. If he wants its ilaaj, we can do it in the next election,” Abdullah said, hinting at a possible denial of party mandate to Veeri in future polls.
Abdullah made the comments after Veeri raised concerns over the electricity issue in his constituency. The recent issue has only added another layer to the ongoing tensions within the party.
Meanwhile, Srinagar MP Ruhullah Mehdi, who has been at odds with sections of the party leadership, took a fresh swipe at Choudhary.
Mehdi shared a video clip on social media in which Choudhary, when asked about Mehdi and Veeri, responded: “Ask Ruhullah sahab and Veeri sahab.”
Captioning the clip, Mehdi wrote:
“Na tum mein woh wazan tha, na koi rooh ki baat
Tum meri khata ka bas bura sa asar (nateeja) ho”
The exchange highlights the widening fault lines within the party, with senior leaders increasingly resorting to public platforms to air differences rather than resolving them internally.
Political observers say the developments point to deeper issues within the National Conference, which returned to power in the year 2024, on promises of responsive governance and political stability.
The public nature of the disagreements, particularly involving key figures of the party, could pose challenges to its cohesion going forward.
The reservation policy, in particular, has emerged as a contentious issue, with demands for revisions gaining traction in certain quarters.
While the government maintains that due process has been followed and the sub-committee has filed its report to Liutenant Governor’s office, dissenting voices within and outside the party appear unconvinced.
There was no immediate official response from the party leadership on the latest remarks.
