Srinagar, Nov 06 (HS): A meeting between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference (NC) legislators unhappy over the recent Cabinet expansion is underway at the Gupkar residence of party president Dr Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar.

The legislators arrived at the venue in the morning for talks with the party leadership, aimed at addressing their grievances and preventing further widening of differences within the organisation.

Sources said the NC leadership had asked the aggrieved legislators to keep independent MLAs out of the delegation meeting the Chief Minister and the party president.

The aggrieved legislators are understood to have the support of three Independent MLAs, who have been backing them over the Cabinet reshuffle issue.

The legislators are reportedly upset over being overlooked in the recent Cabinet reshuffle-cum-expansion and have sought redressal of their grievances from the party leadership.

The outcome of Friday's meeting is expected to indicate the future course of the dissenting group within the National Conference.

The meeting comes a day after Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar dismissed reports of a rebellion in the party, describing the legislators' grievances as minor and expressing confidence that they would be resolved through discussions.

Sagar had said that NC president Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah were in touch with party members and closely monitoring the situation. He had also maintained that there was no rift or rebellion within the party.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Zahoor Hussain Bhat