Srinagar: As the National Conference government is set to expand the council of ministers, the prospect of new faces in ministerial positions has failed to generate much enthusiasm among the general public here.
People say they are not bothered about who becomes a minister, but what they are really interested in is if and when the NC government delivers on the promises that have brought it to power.
For majority people (read voters), the political significance of the cabinet expansion or reshuffle has little significance when seen in the face of their everyday concerns, including unemployment, rising prices, electricity bills — and “promised benefits”.
More than two years after the 2024 Assembly elections, they say, they are still waiting for tangible progress on key commitments made by the ruling party during its campaign.
“We have nothing to do with who becomes a minister, who gets the deputy chief minister’s position, or who takes charge of the education or finance departments. Those are internal matters of the ruling party. Our concern is the promises made to us, most of which remain unfulfilled,” Ali Mohammad Matoo, an elderly Srinagar resident, told ‘Kashmir Images’.
He said fulfilling electoral commitments was the government’s primary responsibility, warning that failure to do so could carry political consequences in future elections.
The NC secured a decisive mandate in the 2024 Assembly elections that were held after a five-year gap following the 2019 constitutional changes that revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
For many voters, the election was not merely about forming a government but also about restoring their political rights and addressing long standing economic and civic concerns. The party had campaigned on the promise of fighting for the restoration of special status while also making a series of commitments concerning household expenses, electricity, employment, and women’s welfare.
Promises also included providing 12 free LPG cylinders annually to every household, creating employment opportunities for unemployed youth, and offering relief on other day-to-day issues.
People say they have yet to see sufficient progress on these commitments, leaving them increasingly disillusioned with the government’s performance.
Mohammad Maqbool, another NC voter, said his family’s longstanding support for the party had not prevented him from feeling disappointed with its performance.
“We have always voted for the National Conference, whatever the circumstances. But this time, we are deeply disappointed because the issues on which the party sought our votes have not been addressed as we expected,” he told ‘Kashmir Images’.
He said the government had also failed to meet public expectations on major political issues, while concerns over electricity costs, free LPG cylinders, and employment continued to trouble households.
For voters struggling with the cost of living, the debate over who enters or exits the cabinet appears increasingly distant from their immediate concerns.
At Dargah Hazratbal, Abdul Ahad, who runs a provision store, said people had voted in the hope of a better life, economic security, and a sense that their concerns would finally receive priority.
“We voted for the National Conference because we wanted our lost identity restored, some relief from inflation, employment for our children, and an end to the burden of smart electricity meters. Instead, we are hearing discussions about who will become a minister and who will not,” he said.
He said the public’s priorities remained affordable electricity, education for children, relief from rising prices, and employment for educated youth.
“The reshuffle is not our issue. Our issue is whether this government has fulfilled even one of the promises on which it sought our votes. People want to see those promises fulfilled, not just hear about changes in the cabinet,” he said.
For these voters, the reshuffle is ultimately a matter for the ruling party to settle internally. What they want in return for the mandate they delivered in 2024 is visible action on the commitments made during the election campaign.
As the government prepares to rearrange its ministerial team, the public’s message is clear: changing ministers alone will not address the growing impatience of voters who are waiting for election promises to translate into everyday relief.
