Srinagar, Oct 28 (HS): BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur on Wednesday described the expanded Omar Abdullah-led cabinet as a “kitchen cabinet” made up of loyalists of the Abdullah family, saying the people of Jammu and Kashmir have no hope from it. He accused the National Conference (NC) of sidelining party loyalists, ignoring regional balance and rewarding those loyal to the leadership.

Addressing a press conference here, Thakur said the BJP had no objection to the new ministers, whom he congratulated. “We congratulate them for getting a place. We have no problem with that, because it is their right. It is also the right of the National Conference to choose its people,” he said.

He said, however, that the cabinet expansion showed the continuation of the NC’s tradition of dynastic politics. “Those who were loyal to the party were kept away from the cabinet. Whether it is Dr Farooq or Mr Omar, those who are loyal to them, or to the Abdullah family, have been given a place,” he said.

“If we put it in general terms, this is a kitchen cabinet. The people of Jammu and Kashmir have no hope from it. We have seen the report card of the last two years: in every sector, every department, on every front, they have failed. Even today there is no hope, and the people have no hope from the ministers who have joined either,” Thakur said.

He accused the NC of talking about regional balance in its statements while doing the opposite. “The National Conference, which has failed again and again, speaks of regional balance, but yesterday they did exactly the opposite with one region. Here too, they played a special religious card, as we call it,” he said. He added that some districts of Kashmir, including in central Kashmir, received no representation, even though their MLAs have served the party for a long time and made many sacrifices for it.

Referring to reactions on social media, Thakur said there is a lot of anger. “This kitchen cabinet is made up of Omar Sahab’s loyal people, the people who sit around him in his kitchen. They follow a family, the Abdullah family. That is why they get a place in the cabinet,” he said.

He said an ordinary worker who rises from the ground, wins elections and works hard day and night should have no expectations from the NC. “This is what I want to tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Yesterday everyone saw that only those who salute Omar Abdullah every morning have a place in the National Conference. Those who do not will never become ministers and will not get a place anywhere,” he said.

Four NC legislators, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mir Saifullah, Shamima Firdous and Altaf Ahmad Wani (Altaf Kaloo), were sworn in as ministers on Tuesday. Since then, the NC leadership has dismissed reports of discontent within the party as a family matter.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Zahoor Hussain Bhat