After a day-long meeting of the National Conference legislative party at the Dachigam National National Park in Srinagar, the party has decided to hold a protest demonstration in the national capital on the first day of the monsoon session, seeking the restoration of statehood and J&K’s “constitutional guarantees.”On Wednesday Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah shuttled all NC MLAs away for a day long off-site. A review meeting of the legislators was scheduled to be held at the chief minister’s residence at Gupkar Road. However, after assembling at the venue, the MLAs boarded caravans to spend the day at the Dachigam National Park, on the outskirts of the city.After the meeting ended, party chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said: “The NC has decided that on the first day of the monsoon session, the NC legislative party will travel to Delhi and protest for our demands that include restoration of statehood and our constitutional guarantees.”Read | ‘J&K statehood not possible in a single meeting’: CM Omar Abdullah meets HM ShahSadiq said that the leadership of the party feels that this is the right time to take these issues to Delhi and “secure what has been snatched from us”.Amid speculation on new members being inducted into the Omar cabinet and undercurrents of discontent among some of the elected MLAs with regard to public works, the chief minister gathered the MLAs to Dachigam with a view to address their concerns. Sadiq said that other issues concerning J&K, whether developmental or societal, were discussed during the meeting led by the chef minister. Taking to social media, the NC vice-president posted photos with the party MLAs stating that the group will spend the day taking stock of the last 19 months, “the good, the not so good & everything in between.” (@OmarAbdullah/X)Party sources told The Indian Express that the purpose of the retreat was an “opportunity for all MLAs to speak their minds and air their complaints”.Taking to social media, the NC vice-president posted photos with the party MLAs stating that the group will spend the day taking stock of the last 19 months, “the good, the not so good & everything in between.”Story continues below this adHe also dismissed conjecture that the meeting was moved last minute, adding that it was always his intention to conduct this meeting off-site and “all arrangements have been made, days in advance, at the location originally chosen by me.”Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition, BJP’s Sunil Sharma termed the party meeting a “floor test” stating that “he thinks that his MLAs are leaving him, hence this picnic.” He added that the people of J&K are concerned about basic issues of water, power, roads, “the CM has whisked away his MLAs for a picnic.”Ahead of the meeting, there was speculation regarding the NC discussing strategies for restoration of statehood. On Wednesday, the LoP underscored that ”statehood is BJP’s agenda, not theirs”.Stating that the biggest achievement of the central government has been a lack of civilian deaths in the valley, Sharma added that “If Omar had law and order more than 150 young men would have died. Other than Pahalgam, there have been no civilian deaths. This is our biggest achievement.”Story continues below this adHe also said that peace is not possible overnight and “until such time, statehood cannot be restored.”Describing the NC’s decision to take their protest to New Delhi a “damp squib” People’s Conference president Sajad Lone said that this is “yet another attempt to divert attention from their failures. Try to divert attention from the lies of the election manifesto.”In October last year, just after taking oath of office, the Omar Abdullah led cabinet had passed a resolution unanimously for restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir “in its original form”.