The National Conference (NC) is set to head to New Delhi to press the Centre for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, with the party threatening to launch protests if its demands are not met at the earliest.
The move follows a detailed meeting convened by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during which political parties in the Union Territory discussed the statehood issue.
Letters written by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to various party leaders have received positive responses, with several parties indicating willingness to unite on the demand.
In a post on X, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified the purpose of a recent off-site meeting, saying it was meant to review the performance of the last 19 months — “the good, the not so good, and everything in between.”
He rejected speculation that the venue had been changed at the last moment.
However, some political observers have criticised the meeting, describing it as more of a “picnic” for legislators rather than a serious deliberation on governance and public issues.
Critics argue that the National Conference-led government, which came to power on the promise of restoring statehood and implementing welfare schemes, has failed to deliver on most of its commitments.
The demand for restoration of the special constitutional status has gradually faded, with parties now focusing on the more immediate and achievable goal of statehood.
Only recently, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said he would “burst like a cloud” if statehood was not restored, setting Eid-ul-Adha as a symbolic deadline.
The NC leadership has now decided to take all elected legislators to New Delhi to raise the statehood issue with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party has warned that it will launch protests if the Centre fails to address the demand at the earliest.
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