BJP walkout signals deepening friction in J&K Assembly

BJP legislators exited the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday, protesting the government’s failure to address the grievances of National Health Mission employees and lingering job vacancies. The walkout underscores a growing legislative standoff as opposition members demand immediate action on public commitments rather than waiting for the restoration of statehood.

Editorial·September 22, 2026·reads: 442

BJP walkout signals deepening friction in J&K Assembly

Balwant Singh Mankotia, leading the BJP contingent, criticized the administration for repeatedly deferring policy decisions. He claimed the government uses the pending restoration of statehood as a shield to avoid fulfilling campaign promises regarding employment and civil service regularization. Beyond labor issues, Mankotia alleged systemic corruption within the agriculture bank, adding pressure to the brief autumn session that runs through September 30.

Internal tensions mirrored these frustrations elsewhere on the floor. National Conference MLA Abdul Majid Larmi pushed for the reinstatement of public holidays marking the birth and death anniversaries of Sheikh Abdullah, explicitly suggesting that if those days remain unacknowledged, the existing holiday for Maharaja Hari Singh should be revoked. This proposal found support from PDP representative Waheed Para, who further argued for the revival of a state holiday on July 13. Amid these competing agendas, MY Tarigami warned that the assembly’s limited seven-sitting schedule provides insufficient time to address the mounting volume of public demands currently flooding legislators' offices.