The Congress party has decided to maintain its stance and stay out of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s cabinet in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving the alliance under continued strain ahead of a planned cabinet expansion.
Core Conflict & Key Developments
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Unchanged Position: AICC General Secretary and J&K Congress Legislature Party leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir confirmed that the party’s stance remains unchanged despite a fresh invitation from the National Conference (NC) to join the government.
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Current Cabinet Setup: Omar Abdullah currently operates with a condensed 5-member cabinet (4 from NC and 1 Independent) out of the maximum permissible 9 ministerial berths mandated under the J&K Reorganisation Act (capped at 10% of the 90-member Assembly).
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The Rajya Sabha Rift: Tensions escalated in late 2025 following disagreements over Rajya Sabha seat-sharing. Congress accused the NC of betrayal after being offered an unwinnable seat instead of a mutually agreed “safe seat,” leading Congress to boycott the contest. The NC won three seats while the BJP secured the fourth.
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Assembly Mechanics: The NC holds 41 seats and Congress holds 6, giving the core alliance 47 seats in the 90-member House (past the 46-seat majority threshold), alongside support from independent MLAs and smaller parties.
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Statehood Demand: Congress originally refrained from taking cabinet berths upon the government’s formation in October 2024, citing its demand for the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir before formally taking executive office.
