Cabinet Snub Sparks Protests at Naw-e-Subah as Mubarak Gul Supporters Voice Outrage

Tensions surfaced at the National Conference headquarters in Srinagar on Tuesday as supporters of senior party leader Mubarak Gul staged a protest over his exclusion from the expanded Jammu and Kashmir Council of Ministers. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The protest took place at the Nawa-i-Subh Complex hours after four legislators — Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Kaloo — took oath as ministers in the Omar Abdullah-led government.

Supporters Raise Slogans at NC Headquarters

Party workers and supporters gathered at the headquarters while an internal meeting was underway, raising slogans in support of Gul and expressing disappointment over his exclusion from the Cabinet.

Supporters highlighted Gul’s long political career and seniority in the party, noting that his name had figured among those being discussed for a ministerial position ahead of the reshuffle.

Gul also expressed disappointment over missing out on a Cabinet berth, saying he had attended numerous oath-taking ceremonies during his political career but had repeatedly been left out of the ministerial lineup.

Farooq Abdullah Appoints Gul as NC General Secretary

Amid the discontent, National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah appointed Mubarak Gul as the party’s general secretary, according to the information provided.

The appointment comes against the backdrop of dissatisfaction among some party supporters following the Cabinet expansion and highlights the challenges of balancing seniority and representation within the ruling party.

The Cabinet expansion saw four legislators inducted into the Omar Abdullah-led government, bringing the Council of Ministers to its maximum permissible strength of nine members.

The developments have drawn attention to internal party dynamics following the reshuffle, particularly the expectations of senior leaders who were not included in the new ministerial team.