Srinagar, Nov 4 (JKNS): Senior National Conference leader and Eidgah MLA Mubarak Gul on Wednesday deferred his much-anticipated press conference, amid growing discontent over his exclusion from the Omar Abdullah-led Council of Ministers and subsequent developments concerning his appointment as the party’s General Secretary.
Addressing reporters, as per news agency JKNS, Gul thanked people from different parts of Jammu and Kashmir for visiting his residence and expressing solidarity with him. He said people from Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Pulwama and various areas of Srinagar had conveyed their support and sympathies.
Gul also thanked the print and electronic media for their coverage, saying that people had stood with him for the past 55 years and that he deeply appreciated their sentiments. However, he declined to respond to questions from reporters and announced that he would not reveal anything on Wednesday, deferring the scheduled press conference.
The veteran leader’s disappointment comes in the aftermath of the recent Cabinet expansion, in which several senior NC legislators, including Gul, were left out. He had earlier publicly expressed displeasure over not being considered for a ministerial berth, despite his long association with the party and political experience.
In an apparent attempt to address the resentment, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah appointed Gul as the party’s General Secretary on October 27, following Ali Mohammad Sagar’s induction into the Cabinet. However, in a subsequent order issued on October 30, the party directed Sagar to continue as General Secretary till further orders, creating fresh uncertainty over Gul’s organisational position.
Gul had earlier indicated that he would speak openly about the developments within the party and reveal his position at the November 4 press conference. His decision to defer the address has now added to the political uncertainty surrounding the veteran leader’s future course of action.
The developments come amid wider discontent within the National Conference following the Cabinet reshuffle, with several senior legislators and party workers expressing resentment over the distribution of ministerial berths. (JKNS)