Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah and party leaders attend NC Central Working Committee meeting. | Photo credit: IMRAN NISSAR
The ruling National Conference (NC) on Thursday started a two-day Central Working Committee (CWC) in Srinagar to “review the functioning of the party and the government”. However, the party decided not to invite rebel Member of Parliament (MP) Aga Syed Ruhullah.
The two-day meeting was held at the Nawa-i-Subh party headquarters in Srinagar and was presided over by party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah. J&K Chief Minister and party vice president Omar Abdullah also attended the meeting along with his legislators and ministers.
The NC is likely to pass a joint resolution after Friday’s two-day conference. Several NC leaders said that issues of the party and problems faced by the people in the constituencies were discussed. About 20 NC leaders on Day 1 of the meeting to highlight the issues facing the party.
“The committee met to review the functioning of the party, the responsibilities of office bearers and to strengthen the organizational systems,” NC senior chairperson and minister Sakina Ittoo said.
NC chairman Nasir Aslam Wani, also an adviser to the chief minister, said the ongoing discussions would continue on Friday. “Then resolutions will be proposed after the session ends. Once the decisions are finalised, all the details will be shared,” Mr Wani said.
Srinagar MP Ruhullah was conspicuous by his absence from the meeting. The NC leader, a prominent Shia cleric with growing popularity, has recently criticized Omar Abdullah’s government. Differences between Mr Abdullah and Mr Ruhullah further deepened during the Budgam election in October, when the latter chose not to campaign for the party despite it being his hometown. The party faced defeat in the Budgam by-election this month.
Meanwhile, MP Ruhullah visited Ganderbal district and expressed surprise at the party’s move of not inviting him to the meeting. “If the working committee meeting is going on, I have been a permanent member since 2002. This is the first time I have not been invited,” MP Ruhullah said.
He reiterated his stand that the NC had promised to “fight for the return of the protections taken through Article 370” in the 2024 elections but failed to deliver after winning a massive mandate from the people.
NC Chairman Wani confirmed that MP Ruhullah “was not invited to the meeting” without elaborating further on the reasons behind the move.
Published – 27 Nov 2025 22:46 IST
