JAMMU: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Saturday dismissed speculation about discontent among a section of National Conference MLAs, asserting that the party leadership had addressed the concerns through discussions with the legislators.
Talking to reporters after paying obeisance at Bawe Wali Mata temple on the eve of Diwali, Choudhary said National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had held discussions with all the MLAs, bringing the controversy to an end.
“The expressions on their faces make it quite clear… When my leader, the NC president, and the chief minister discussed the matter with all the MLAs, that was the end of it,” he said.
His remarks came a day after the National Conference leadership met legislators reportedly unhappy over being left out of the Council of Ministers. The party leadership had dismissed speculation about internal differences as baseless rumours.
Urging the media to shift its focus to issues affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Choudhary questioned whether repeatedly highlighting political controversies would help resolve unemployment or ensure the regularisation of daily-wage workers.
He accused sections of the media of giving greater prominence to political developments than to public concerns.
The Deputy Chief Minister also raised the issue of local representation in key administrative positions, referring to the retirement of former Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on November 1 and the decision not to grant him an extension.
Questioning the appointment process, Choudhary said Jammu and Kashmir should have an opportunity to appoint an officer from the region to the top administrative post. He argued that if Dulloo was not granted an extension, another local officer, irrespective of religion, could have been considered.
He further questioned whether the BJP had raised the issue, alleging that the party appeared more focused on following a particular narrative than highlighting concerns specific to Jammu and Kashmir.
