In a political setback to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the coalition partner Congress refused to join his government in the Union Territory.
The Congress has made its position unambiguous: no cabinet berth until statehood is restored and the constitutional rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir are returned in full.
"Congress had taken a principled stand not to join the government till the statehood is restored and its stand is unchanged", Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hamid Karra told reporters at Reasi.
Karra said that Congress can't climb down from it's principled stand of restoration of statehood and other constitutional rights, taken away from people in order to join the government but quickly added that anytime BJP tries to disturb the stability of NC government, Congress will always be there.
He said that Congress's support to the NC government doesn't mean that it will remain silent on the issues of governance and fulfilling the commitments to the people by the government. On the issue of power hike, Congress has already opposed burdening the common man who is already suffering, rather he demanded that government should come out with a comprehensive amnesty scheme for power to give relaxations to the common man.
The Congress's decision hands Omar Abdullah a smoother path for his upcoming cabinet expansion on one hand, but on the other, it exposes the fault lines within the coalition and sharpens the pressure over the long-pending statehood issue.
The timing is pointed. It comes just as the Omar government prepares to expand its council of ministers, with three new faces expected to be inducted. The Chief Minister's office had reportedly offered Congress a single ministerial slot — a move that fuelled speculation the party, sitting out of government for nearly two years, might finally soften its stance. But by evening, Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra had shut the door on all such speculation.
"Our Position Was Never in Doubt": Congress
Karra was categorical: the Congress stand has been consistent from the start. The party will not join the government until statehood is restored and the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir's people are reinstated. He was equally clear that this is not a rupture with the National Conference — Congress stands firmly with its ally and will back it against the BJP whenever needed. But solidarity, he stressed, does not mean silence on the government's missteps.
That single line captures the real complexity of this alliance: Congress wants influence without office — pressure politics from outside the cabinet, not a seat at the table. The National Conference, meanwhile, has been pushing consistently to bring Congress into government.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary reiterated that Congress remains a coalition partner and that its entry into the cabinet would only strengthen the government — though he left the final call to the party itself.
A Standoff Dating Back to October 2024
The roots of this refusal go back nearly two years, to October 2024, when Omar Abdullah was first sworn in as Chief Minister. Congress had reportedly sought two cabinet berths at the time, but no agreement was reached. Since then, the party has stayed out of government altogether, pending statehood restoration — a stand it later sharpened with its "Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq" (Our State, Our Right) campaign, a movement that has repeatedly put the National Conference leadership on the back foot and widened the visible cracks between the two allies.
What Congress Actually Wants From NC
Sources within the party suggest the demand runs deeper than a single ministerial post. Congress is understood to be seeking at least two cabinet berths along with the post of Deputy Speaker or Deputy Chief Minister. The party is also pushing for a coordination committee among coalition partners, to formally ensure its voice in government decision-making. None of these demands have found agreement with the National Conference so far.
A Political Dilemma for Omar Abdullah
The episode leaves Omar Abdullah facing an uncomfortable calculation. Bringing Congress into government would have projected a broader, more unified coalition — but for Congress, the statehood question has evolved into something bigger than politics: a matter tied to its own political survival and to the constitutional identity of Jammu and Kashmir itself. Accepting a share of power now could have undercut the very campaign the party has built its identity around.
Watching From Outside
The Omar government can, for now, proceed with its cabinet expansion without Congress. But that will not paper over the cracks in the alliance. Congress has made clear it can keep its distance from power — without backing off from questioning the government. In effect, an ally that once supported Omar Abdullah from outside has now become a partner watching closely from within the coalition. As this new equation takes shape, the battle over Jammu and Kashmir's statehood looks set to grow only more politically charged in the days ahead.
