Srinagar, Oct 31 (KNS): Eighteen National Conference legislators have submitted an eight-point memorandum to party president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, seeking major changes in the functioning of the government and party, including a fresh cabinet restructuring, removal of the Chief Minister’s advisor and a time-bound roadmap for implementing the party’s election manifesto.

The memorandum, signed by all 18 MLAs following a meeting at the residence of Qaisar Jamsheed, also calls for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status, action on corruption-related complaints raised against certain ministers, withdrawal of the Roads and Buildings (R&B) portfolio from Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and the creation of new mechanisms for consultation and communication with the Chief Minister.

An MLA who attended the meeting told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that the eight-point document was intended to strengthen the National Conference and improve the government’s functioning, rather than create divisions within the ruling party.

“We have submitted eight points to Farooq Sahib and Omar Sahib. These are not demands to divide the party. We want to strengthen the National Conference, make the government more responsive and ensure that the commitments made to the people are implemented,” the legislator said.

The MLA said the memorandum followed dissatisfaction over the handling of issues discussed during an earlier meeting at Dachigam, particularly those relating to the cabinet and complaints against ministers.

According to the legislator, the group had expected the Chief Minister to address these concerns during the recent cabinet expansion, but the changes failed to meet their expectations.

“We had already discussed these issues at Dachigam. The Chief Minister was aware of our concerns, but instead of addressing them, the same arrangements were repeated. That is why we decided to put all eight points in writing and send them to both leaders,” the MLA said.

The first major demand concerns time-bound implementation of the National Conference’s election manifesto. The legislators want the government to establish a clear programme for fulfilling commitments made during the Assembly elections, rather than leaving them without defined timelines.

The memorandum separately calls for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and special status, seeking continued political attention to two of the party’s central electoral commitments.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

Another key demand is implementation of the points discussed at Dachigam, including removal of ministers against whom MLAs had raised allegations of corruption.

The legislator said the complaints had been brought to the leadership’s attention earlier and should not be ignored while taking decisions concerning the Council of Ministers.

The memorandum also seeks cabinet restructuring and confidence-building measures among legislators. It specifically calls for the R&B portfolio to be withdrawn from Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, besides seeking removal of the Chief Minister’s advisor.

The demand has emerged just four days after the October 27 cabinet expansion, when four National Conference legislators were inducted into the Council of Ministers.

The fresh memorandum indicates that the expansion has not resolved concerns among the signatories over ministerial appointments, portfolio distribution and the government’s internal functioning.

The legislators have also proposed the constitution of a four-member consultative advisory group tasked with regularly briefing the Chief Minister on political and administrative matters.

According to the MLA, the proposed group would provide a direct channel for communication between legislators and the Chief Minister, allowing constituency-level concerns and political developments to be conveyed without delay.

Another proposal calls for the creation of a dedicated media and electronic cell to report developments directly to the Chief Minister.

The memorandum’s final area of emphasis is organisational reform, with the legislators seeking changes aimed at strengthening coordination between the party leadership, elected representatives and grassroots organisation.

The MLA said these proposals were interconnected and should be viewed as an attempt to improve both political decision-making and administrative responsiveness.

“The eight points are about restructuring and strengthening the party. We want a proper system of consultation, implementation of promises and accountability within the government. We do not want to break the party. We want to make it stronger,” the legislator said.(KNS)