BJP’s ‘J&K next target’ claim sparks speculation; Omar Abdullah rejects talk of MLAs’ exit

Srinagar: Following the BJP’s decisive victory in West Bengal and Opposition leader Sunil Sharma’s remark that Jammu and Kashmir is the party’s “next target”, speculation has grown in the Union Territory over possible attempts to trigger political realignment within the ruling National Conference (NC) - a buzz Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has dismissed as baseless.

The comments have triggered a familiar churn in Kashmir’s political circles, where rumours of engineered splits and shifting loyalties often gain traction quickly, especially in moments of heightened Centre–regional political tension.

“If some MLAs are making efforts to leave the NC, do you think I would be sitting in such functions? These are baseless things,” Omar said on Wednesday while addressing an event in north Kashmir’s Tangmarg, attempting to project confidence in the stability of his government.

The latest round of speculation was fuelled after BJP’s Leader of Opposition in J&K Assembly Sunil Sharma said earlier this week that Jammu and Kashmir was the BJP’s “next target” and claimed that the party had been working on political plans for over a year.

While his remarks triggered political debate, Sharma later denied that the BJP was actively working to destabilise the NC-led government, even as he described the party as being “on a ventilator” due to internal issues.

NC president Farooq Abdullah also stepped in to douse speculation over possible internal reshuffles, ruling out any immediate expansion of the Council of Ministers.

“Don’t expect any cabinet expansion,” Farooq told reporters at the party headquarters, Nawa-e-Subah, in Srinagar.

The political exchange has once again highlighted the sensitive nature of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, where allegations of defections and backchannel manoeuvres tend to dominate discourse even in the absence of concrete developments.

Historically, the region has witnessed repeated episodes of fractured mandates, shifting alliances and allegations of Delhi-backed political engineering — factors that have often led to abrupt government changes or instability.

This legacy continues to shape how even unverified claims are received and amplified in the current political environment.

For now, both the ruling party and the Opposition are engaged in a war of words, but the episode underscores how quickly political narratives in Jammu and Kashmir can escalate into wider speculation about the durability of governments and the role of national parties in shaping local power equations.