In a move that will see Jantar Mantar filled with INDIA bloc allies and non-NDA parties from the valley, Abdullah is putting together a show of force for the 20th. With Parliament set to open its Monsoon session, the timing is no accident; it is meant to raise the stakes and prove there is a united front in the opposition.
Why the outreach matters
Abdullah has been in touch with party leaders on both sides of the aisle to see if the call for statehood can bridge the divide in J&K. According to one senior NC hand, this is about demonstrating real resolve, not just going through the motions of dissent.
‘We are here to put the government on notice that you can’t turn a blind eye to governance issues,’ the leader put it after a review. ‘When we stand as one, it is a message of solidarity and a demand for accountability. This is more than a symbol.’
This is not coming out of the blue. The NC has already made its mark in official circles. Back in October 2024, Omar Abdullah’s cabinet put forward a resolution to put J&K back in its original state, calling it the first step to some much-needed healing. They made sure the PM, the Home and Defence ministers and others in the centre had a copy. Nothing has come of it yet.
How the plan came together
The idea to make a stand at the capital’s protest ground was put on the table on June 3rd in a room with NC MLAs, MPs and the independents who have the government’s support. From there, senior people got together at the Gupkar home in Srinagar to put the final touches on it and make sure they had a broad base of support.
Formal letters are being sent to all the parties in the UT, with Abdullah writing to them by name. And on June 8th, Omar Abdullah was in New Delhi to put the proposal before the INDIA bloc, asking them to come on board.
Who might join, who may stay away
The door is open to any non-NDA outfit, but you can expect some to hold back given where they stand. Don’t look for the PDP, Apni Party or Peoples Conference to be there, is the word from within the opposition in the valley. Still, the NC says it is up to them to make their position known.
Political stakes in Srinagar
While the streets are being organised, there is talk of a cabinet reshuffle to put the Omar Abdullah team in order. The Chief Minister has intimated an expansion is in the offing, either side of the Jantar Mantar event. The 2019 Reorganisation Act allows for as many as nine; right now the Council of Ministers is made up of six, so there is room for three more.
It could be more than just new names. Some sources say portfolios may be reworked. In a recent sit-down, some of the ruling NC and their independent backers were hard on a few of the ministers, the Deputy CM in particular, over how funds are doled out and the like. The PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control minister, Javid Rana of the Forest ministry and Satish Sharma of the CD portfolio have also been put on the spot.
What to watch next
In the short term, we will see if the NC’s overtures result in a multi-party showing in the capital. And whether the government follows up its rhetoric with some house-keeping in the administration.
Here is what to keep an eye on:
– The sending out of Farooq Abdullah’s letters
– How the INDIA and non-NDA camps react
– When the cabinet is to be expanded and who is in charge of what
– What happens at Jantar Mantar and what is said there
But it is not only about the numbers. The whole point is to put it on the record that statehood is the one thing that has the non-NDA in J&K in agreement. As the 20th and the Monsoon session draw near, we will find out if this brings the opposition closer or if the old lines are drawn in the sand once more.
