MPs Slam Omar Abdullah’s Governance ‘Failures’

What are you doing? The National Conference (NC) is grappling with growing internal dissent, with Members of Parliament openly criticizing Prime Minister Omar Abdullah’s administration for allegedly failing to deliver on key election promises made during the 2024 Assembly elections.

The rift, centered over governance issues, unfulfilled commitments and the controversial restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, has exposed deep divisions between the party’s leadership and its MPs, threatening the NC’s credibility in the erstwhile state.

Srinagar’s Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah, a prominent figure of the influential Shia Agha clan, has emerged as a vocal critic of the NC government. Speaking at the 4th Halla Bolle Convocation in Srinagar on Sunday, Ruhullah expressed shock over Prime Minister Abdullah’s snide remarks, especially when he said he was “not afraid of the people” on the reservation issue.

Accusing the NC of abandoning its 2024 election promises, Ruhullah said, “These are the people who elected him, but instead of working for their well-being, he is opposing them.” During the campaign, the NC had promised to restore J&K’s special status, which was revoked by the Center on August 5, 2019, and redress people’s grievances.

However, Ruhullah complained that the party currently in power had limited its struggle to the state and compromised on broader commitments. He also criticized the government’s support for smart (power) meter installations, a policy that the NC had opposed before the elections. “We told people we would remove these smart meters but now we are supporting them,” he said, highlighting the party’s U-turn on key issues.

Ruhullah’s disappointment is also personal. He questioned how the party could face its voters after its failure by refusing to campaign for the NC candidate in the Budgam by-poll. “What will I tell the people of Budgam if I go there to campaign again?” he asked, accusing the NC of mirroring the BJP’s allies by aligning with policies it once opposed.

Adding to the opposition chorus, Anantnag-Rajouri MP Mian Altaf Ahmed also echoed Ruhullah’s concerns, stating that no meaningful political or administrative progress has been made since the NC government came to power. Speaking at the same meeting, Ahmed called on Omar Abdullah to focus on governance rather than rhetoric. Emphasizing that the Prime Minister should work within his own limits to serve the people who elected him, he said, “It would be wrong if I said that Omar Sahib is on the right track; that would be misleading him.”

Ahmed underlined the government’s failure to address unemployment, stating that thousands of educated young people, including postgraduate and doctoral students, remain unemployed due to the lack of employment incentives. Underlining the urgency of addressing public concerns immediately, he said, “The process should have started from day one with advertisements placed in recruitment agencies.” He also criticized the Prime Minister’s remarks on smart meter installations and advised him to “speak thoughtfully and understandingly”.

Defending Ruhullah against the attacks of Deputy Prime Minister Surinder Choudhary, Ahmed said, “Everyone knows who Agha Ruhullah is. Anyone who speaks against him will not harm his reputation.”

At a time when the NC is navigating turbulent waters, with internal fissures and external pressures threatening its political standing, its main alliance partner, the Congress party, has only sought to add to its woes. Expressing growing disappointment with the NC’s approach to governance, AICC General Secretary Shahnawaz Chaudhry issued a stern warning to the conclave of cardinals, signaling that the Congress may reconsider its coalition with the NC if the current trend continues.

Underlining the party’s dissatisfaction with the NC’s failure to fulfill its election promises and address critical issues such as unemployment and public welfare, Chaudhry said, “If the National Conference continues with its current stance, the Congress will reconsider its alliance.”

Local Congress leader Irfan Hafiz Lone also weighed in on the warning, echoing Chaudhry’s sentiments. Emphasizing his party’s growing discomfort with the NC’s performance, Lone said, “NC must take its responsibilities seriously, otherwise it risks straining this partnership.” The Congress, which backed the NC during the 2024 elections to form the government, was expecting a stronger push for the political and economic restoration of J&K, but the lack of concrete progress put a strain on the alliance.

Internal squabbles within the NC have given ammunition to opposition leaders, especially Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti. Addressing party workers in Budgam on Sunday, Mufti accused the NC of betraying the constituency that overwhelmingly supported Omar Abdullah in the 2024 elections. “He won by a landslide by assuring people that he would elect Budgam. But now he has abandoned those who trusted him. This is a complete betrayal,” he said.

The former chief minister criticized the NC for failing to create employment opportunities and rising electricity bills that disproportionately affected poor families. “Omar Abdullah says his sister and aunt have meters installed, but how can we compare their houses with the houses of poor families? Even a thousand rupees is important for the poor,” he said. Urging voters to hold the NC accountable, Mufti emphasized that Budgam deserves “a leader who is connected to the people and supports them in difficult times”.

Reiterating PDP’s determination, Mufti said, “Our struggle is not for the government, but for the people. Together, we can bring back trust in politics that supports, not exploits.” Public criticism of senior NC leaders such as Ruhullah and Ahmed signals a deepening crisis within the party. NC’s 2024 election campaign focused on restoring J&K’s special status, eliminating unemployment and alleviating people’s grievances. But the apparent shift towards limited demands such as statehood and the failure to implement promised reforms increased disillusionment among voters and party members alike. “With increasing pressure on the NC leadership from within and outside the party, the Omar Abdullah government needs to move quickly to align its rhetoric with concrete action,” said an analyst.