Avinash Azad
In an uncharacteristically sharp reaction to internal criticism, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday hit out at his own party MPs, expressing visible anger over their frequent public remarks against the government.
The Chief Minister’s comments came a day after National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha member Mian Altaf Ahmad publicly advised him to “speak carefully” over policy issues — including the controversial installation of smart electricity meters.
Addressing media persons in Jammu, an evidently irked Omar said, “When journalists draw parallels between Ruhullah and Mian Altaf, let me make it clear — Ruhullah is nothing in front of Mian Altaf Sahab.”
The outburst came after Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, another NC MP, repeatedly questioned the government’s handling of several issues, including governance lapses and unmet promises. But this time, Omar’s ire was provoked by Mian Altaf’s televised advice that the government “must not backtrack” on commitments made by the National Conference during the last Assembly elections — a thinly veiled reference to the party’s earlier opposition to smart meters.
Mian Altaf had said: “Being the Chief Minister, one must speak carefully. Our party made several promises before the polls. Now that we are in government, we can’t go against those commitments.”
Reacting to the statement, Omar revealed that he personally called Mian Altaf soon after watching the clip circulate in the media. “Today, I dialed Mian Sahab, my senior colleague — he’s like a father to me. When he picked up, he himself explained the context of his remarks. I told him, ‘Mian Sahab, please, let’s talk indoors about such matters so that unnecessary hype and misinformation against us can be avoided.’”
Omar’s remarks underscore growing unease within the NC ranks, as several senior leaders, including MPs, have openly aired disagreements with the government’s policies. While Ruhullah has often taken contrarian positions on governance and political issues, Mian Altaf’s latest statement — coming from a respected veteran — appears to have struck a deeper chord with the Chief Minister.
Political observers see this as a sign of increasing factionalism within the National Conference, which is struggling to balance pre-election promises with the compulsions of governance. Omar’s public admission that he was “infuriated” by remarks from his own MPs signals the rising pressure within the ruling party as it faces criticism both from within and outside.
With internal dissent spilling into the open and the opposition sharpening its attacks over policy flip-flops, the NC government now faces the dual challenge of managing governance and preserving party discipline — a balancing act that appears increasingly fragile.
