Jammu, Nov. 15 -- Internal fissures in the ruling National Conference (NC) have come out in the open with Budhal MLA Javid Iqbal Choudhary calling deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary a "thug". The NC MLA made the derogatory remarks while reacting to a post on Instagram about his recent absence from the deputy CM's event in Rajouri. In his comment, Javed wrote: "The deputy CM is a 'thug' and does not deserve my presence at his functions. My self-respect and the interests of my people come first." The remarks have once again brought to fore the infighting within the NC, particularly among MLAs from the Pir Panjal region, who have repeatedly accused the deputy CM of discriminating against their constituencies. On June 3, they had slammed the deputy CM in front of CM Omar Abdullah at Dachigam over the functioning of the roads and buildings department headed by him. In a memorandum submitted to the party high command, the dissident group of MLAs had also demanded that the deputy CM be stripped of the roads and buildings portfolio....