Srinagar, Oct 27 : National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday appointed senior party leader and Eidgah MLA Mubarak Gul as the party’s General Secretary, shortly after the former Assembly Speaker publicly expressed disappointment over his exclusion from the expanded Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The development came within hours of four National Conference legislators taking oath as ministers at Lok Bhavan in Srinagar, bringing an end to weeks of speculation over the much-awaited Cabinet expansion.
According to reports, Farooq Abdullah reached out to Gul following his remarks over being denied a ministerial berth and subsequently entrusted him with the senior organisational position.
Earlier in the day, Gul had expressed disappointment over his exclusion, saying he had witnessed nearly 30 oath-taking ceremonies during his political career but had never been given an opportunity to take oath as a minister.
His remarks came as the National Conference leadership faced questions over the selection of legislators for ministerial positions, with several senior leaders left out of the exercise.
The appointment assumes significance as the post of General Secretary is among the key organisational positions in the National Conference, responsible for coordinating party affairs and strengthening its organisational structure.
Gul, a veteran National Conference leader, has served in several important political and legislative positions during his decades-long career.
He began his political journey as a municipal councillor in 1976 and was first elected to the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from Eidgah in 1983.
He subsequently represented the constituency for multiple terms and served as Speaker of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly from 2013 to 2015.
Gul also served as an adviser to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and was appointed Pro-tem Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly following the 2024 Assembly elections.
The organisational appointment comes against the backdrop of Tuesday’s Cabinet expansion, during which Ali Mohammad Sagar, Shamima Firdous, Mir Saifullah and Altaf Ahmad Wani were inducted into the Omar Abdullah-led government.
The development also comes amid expressions of disappointment by some National Conference leaders who were not accommodated in the ministerial expansion.
While Gul has now been entrusted with a senior organisational responsibility, the party leadership has not publicly detailed whether the appointment was directly linked to his exclusion from the Cabinet.
The move places Gul in a prominent organisational role at a time when the National Conference is managing reactions within its ranks following the reshuffle. (KNS)
