NC’s ‘kitchen cabinet’ betrayal will tear party apart, not us: BJP’s Altaf Thakur on cabinet expansion

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu & Kashmir Chief Spokesperson Altaf Thakur launched a blistering attack on the National Conference (NC) following yesterday’s cabinet expansion, accusing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of running a "kitchen cabinet" of family loyalists while sidelining long-serving workers and entire districts.

"Only those who salute Omar Sahab morning and evening get a place," Thakur said. "An ordinary worker who rises from the grassroots and wins an election should hold out no hope with the National Conference."

He charged that the expansion completely ignored regional balance and intra-Kashmir representation. Key districts such as Pulwama, Budgam, and Bandipora, which gave the NC a clear mandate, were left unrepresented. Instead, the party rewarded only those loyal to the Abdullah family, continuing what he called 70 years of "dynastic politics" and treating Kashmiris like slaves.

Addressing NC lawmakers and cadre, Thakur asked, "We served Sheikh Sahab, then Dr. Farooq Sahab, and now we are expected to serve Omar Sahab. When will your conscience awaken?" He also mocked the Chief Minister’s reported directive asking MLAs not to send CVs for cabinet positions, describing it as arrogance unfit for a democracy.

The spokesman claimed widespread anger is already visible across social media, with party loyalists expressing grief after being sidelined. He predicted that the National Conference would crumble from within: "We, the Bharatiya Janata Party, will not break the National Conference; the National Conference will tear itself apart. This is certain."

Contrasting the two parties, Thakur emphasized that the BJP practices genuine internal democracy "where a tea seller can become Prime Minister," whereas the NC and PDP only promote family members. He added that the larger the mandate the NC received, the greater the betrayal, warning that a "kitchen cabinet" model offers no hope for Jammu and Kashmir.

Directly addressing ordinary citizens, he concluded, "Common people, when will you wake up? How long will you remain slaves to one family?"