National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah has cautioned the Centre against nominating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members to the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Assembly. He warned that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s nominations could create friction between the newly formed government and the Centre and might lead to a Supreme Court appeal.

Abdullah emphasized that nominating BJP members would not change the power balance, as the NC-Congress alliance has already secured 49 seats, surpassing the simple majority of 46 in the 90-member assembly. He urged the LG to consult with the new government before making any nominations to avoid legal disputes and maintain positive relations with the central government.

He also highlighted the potential increase in the assembly’s strength to 95, with the LG’s power to nominate five members raising the majority mark to 48. Abdullah warned that this could leave the new government vulnerable, with only one seat above the majority mark.