JKPCC Checkmates JKNC and the Alliance
Imagine this: 500 Congress workers, young guns, and professional sign-holders sweating it out in the Delhi heat, demanding “justice” for J&K.
Dr Noour Ali Zehgeer
The Grand Old Party of India – Congress – has been in power for decades at the Centre, but Jammu and Kashmir was always a challenging task for them. They have been accused by opposition for messing up with Kashmir Policy, but the fact is that the Congress played smartly with Abdullah’s and Maharaja. The outcome is J&K has become integral part of India. There has been change of guard many times for alliances and development. Having said so, Congress for the first time looks like they are moving with agenda in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief, Tariq Hameed Karra is at the forefront of the Congress-led movement demanding the restoration of full statehood to Jammu & Kashmir. He led the “Hamari Riyasat Hamara Haq” campaign and was recently detained during peaceful protests in Jammu. He outplayed every political party in the UT.
Tariq Hameed Karra’s leadership is actively reshaping the Congress party’s strategy in Jammu & Kashmir, positioning it as a revitalized force amid complex regional dynamics. His approach blends grassroots mobilization, alliance recalibration, and assertive advocacy for statehood restoration.
Congress is choosing its own path for this cause, however fearing it may fire back during Bihar elections. BJP and Janata Dal may highlight Congress is voicing out support for Article 370 reversal, which is an emotional issue for BJP voters outside JK. The social impact of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) is multifaceted, reflecting both positive transformations and deep-rooted challenges.
The Alliance which was knitted by Rahul and Omar Abdullah with the blessings of Abdullah , was always a jittery alliance, especially when UT election results were announced and Congress did not perform as per expectations of JKNC and even Congress top brass. The grand old party helped candidates with lot of money but most of the candidate failed to capitalise wave against Modi and his failed promises. A move straight out of a bad comedy flick, the Congress party threw a big protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 24, 2025, shouting loud and clear for Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. But guess who didn’t get the invite? Omar Abdullah, the guy actually running J&K as its Chief Minister. While Congress was busy waving banners and yelling slogans, Omar was flipping through newspapers, scratching his head, wondering why his so-called alliance buddies left him out of the loop.
National Conference leaders are great admirers of getting everything on the plater, without hard work. Be it CM chair for Omar or any position in the party. They will never like to see the Sun and fight for their own land. Abdullahs prefer Wazwan and Golf over restoration of Statehood and legal battle for Article 370.
Meanwhile, Omar, the National Conference leader and J&K’s top boss, found out about the whole thing like you’d hear about a cousin’s wedding—through the media. “Nobody told us. We read it in the papers,” Omar said, sounding like someone who showed up to a party only to find the door locked. Talk about a coalition fumble. The JKNC government have let down people of Jammu and Kashmir in every way. They did not put a fight for statehood and restoration of Article 370. The revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, marked a seismic shift in the political, legal, and emotional landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. For the Kashmiri people, it’s impact has been multifaceted—ranging from promises of development and integration to deep concerns over identity, autonomy, and representation.
Congress bigwigs like Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi were in full-on mode, blasting the BJP for “failing J&K.” Kharge even hopped on X, calling the recent Pahalgam terror attack a sign of “intelligence failure” and demanding statehood as a “constitutional right.” Sounds great, but here’s the kicker: they didn’t bother checking in with Omar or the INDIA bloc’s coordination team, which is supposed to keep these alliance shenanigans in sync. It’s like planning a group trip but forgetting to tell half the squad.
The congress has gained lot of attention in Jammu and Kashmir and also in alliance as JK Congress has been successful drawing the attention on the most emotional issue pending despite promised by JKNC.
The worst part? Omar’s government already passed two resolutions—one in the cabinet, one in the assembly—pushing for statehood. Did Congress miss the headlines? Or where they too busy booking buses and printing posters to notice? Either way, this was less “we’re in this together” and more “whoops, forgot you existed.”
The Jantar Mantar shows had all the Congress classics: loud chants, flashy banners, and a glaring absence of the people actually running J&K. Omar’s got three empty cabinet seats in his government, one of which he’s holding for Congress like a polite host saving a chair. Yet, Congress decided to go solo, leaving Omar wondering if he’s even in the alliance group chat. “If they’d mentioned statehood at the INDIA bloc meeting, we’d have joined,” Omar said, which is basically code for, “You threw a party for my cause and didn’t invite me?”
So, is Congress serious about statehood, or are they just itching to relive their protest days? They’re dodging the Article 370 topic like it’s a hot potato, preaching unity one minute and hogging the spotlight the next. While Kharge types fiery X posts and Rahul huddles with party workers in cozy AC rooms, J&K’s people are stuck waiting. Waiting for statehood, sure, but also for their coalition partners to act like a team. Congress’s assertive stance appears to have caught the NC off guard. While the NC campaigned on restoring Article 370, the issue was effectively shelved after the party formed the government.
Instead, it pivoted to seeking the restoration of statehood, passing a resolution to that effect in its first cabinet meeting in October 2024 and sharing it with top central leaders. However, there has been no progress on the matter since.
Omar’s out here passing resolutions in Srinagar, while Congress is passing out megaphones in Delhi. If “restoring dignity” is the plan, maybe start by sending a quick text to your ally. Until then, this protest wasn’t a movement—it was a mix-up with a microphone. Moral of the story? If you’re fighting for a state’s rights, maybe give the state’s leader a heads-up. Otherwise, it’s just a loud, awkward misunderstanding.
(Dr Noour Ali Zehgeer is with doctoral degree in Marketing, having worked in global companies across the geographies. He has been recognised for his work in India and abroad. He was instrumental in launch Mobile phone services in state of Utter Pradesh and Punjab wayback in 1995.Reciepient of prestigious awards in corporate world in India and Europe.)
