Congress refuses NC's invitation to join Omar Abdullah's Jammu & Kashmir cabinet
The Jammu & Kashmir Congress party declined National Conference's offer to take a cabinet post in Omar Abdullah's government, citing its principle of waiting for statehood restoration.
In Srinagar, the Jammu & Kashmir unit of the Congress party turned down National Conference's proposal to join the cabinet of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Tariq Hamid Karra explained that Congress maintains a principled stance of not participating in the government until the region's statehood is restored, calling recent constitutional changes a serious violation of rights. He noted that the party remains an ally of the NC government and will support it when threatened by the BJP, but will continue to voice concerns over issues like inflation and power tariff hikes. The decision came after Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary expressed optimism that Congress would strengthen the Omar administration, and after adviser Nasir Aslam Wani had extended the invitation ahead of a cabinet expansion.
Why it matters
The refusal highlights ongoing political tension over Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional status and statehood demands.
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