Ruhullah's Exit Plan Intact as National Conference Grapples with Rising Dissent

SRINAGAR: In a significant escalation of political tensions within the ruling National Conference (NC), Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday reaffirmed his decision to resign from both the party and his Lok Sabha seat on November 3. He accused the NC leadership of reneging on key electoral promises, particularly its commitment to pursue the restoration of Article 370, and of failing to address several pressing issues affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters here, Ruhullah said his decision was rooted in principle rather than personal ambition, asserting that his political struggle was driven by commitments made to the electorate and not by any desire for power, office, or political privilege. He chose November 3, the anniversary of his father Aga Syed Mehdi who was killed in a mine blast during the heyday of insurgency in the Valley, for formally stepping down and is also scheduled to address a public gathering at Bahisht-e-Zehra Park in hometown Budgam near here on the same day.

Ruhullah said his disagreement with the party leadership stemmed from what he described as the NC's retreat from the promises it made during the 2024 Assembly election campaign. According to him, issues such as the restoration of Article 370, protection of constitutional rights, reservation policy reforms, and the release of prisoners had formed the core of the party's outreach to voters but were now being sidelined after assuming power.

Seeking to distinguish his position from the ongoing unrest among sections of the party, the MP clarified that his opposition was fundamentally different from the grievances being voiced by some legislators over the distribution of ministerial and organisational positions. He alleged that several leaders who had previously advised him not to publicly criticise the party were now leading protests against their own leadership because of dissatisfaction over appointments and political placements. "My fight is against the NC's U-turn on Article 370 and its election promises. It is not for any chair or position. My path is different," Ruhullah said.

While sharply criticising the party leadership, Ruhullah simultaneously ruled out supporting any effort to destabilise the elected government. He said the Omar Abdullah-led administration should be allowed to complete its full five-year term and warned against any attempts at political horse-trading or engineered instability.

He argued that if legislators had genuine grievances, those concerns should have centred on public issues. "If MLAs had to be angry, it should have been for principles, for Article 370, for reservation and for the prisoners. They could have taken out torch marches for these issues, but their protests were for themselves," he remarked.

Explaining his decision to vacate his parliamentary seat, Ruhullah said that once a politician chooses to part ways with a party, it becomes both morally and legally appropriate to relinquish the mandate secured on that party's symbol. However, he underlined the importance of parliamentary representation, noting that his position in Parliament had enabled him to raise J&K's concerns at the national level and amplify public grievances before the country. He added that if people wanted him to continue that struggle in some form, he would do so without compromising on the issues he had consistently championed.

The MP also raised questions about the NC leadership's commitment to restoring Article 370, referring specifically to recent remarks attributed to party president Farooq Abdullah. Ruhullah said the comments had created uncertainty about whether the leadership remained serious about pursuing the issue and had deepened the gap between pre-election promises and post-election political messaging.

According to him, this contradiction was increasingly creating confusion among party supporters and the wider public. He argued that those seeking accountability on the party's commitments were often dismissed or branded as agents of the BJP, despite merely asking the leadership to honour its pledges.

Ruhullah further revealed that neither had the party leadership reached out to him regarding the differences nor was he expecting any intervention at this stage. He maintained that political leaders must demonstrate their commitment through sacrifice and an unambiguous stand on the rights and aspirations of Muslims, Kashmiris, the people of Jammu, Dogra Hindus and Sikhs. "Even if we have to bear losses for the time being, we will bear them," he said.

His announcement comes against the backdrop of growing unease within the NC following the recent expansion of the Omar Abdullah-led Council of Ministers. The discontent became more visible after a closed-door meeting of around 18 legislators, including 17 NC MLAs and one Independent supporting the ruling alliance, at the Srinagar residence of Lolab MLA Qaiser Jamsheed Lone on Friday.

According to sources, the legislators discussed concerns arising from the recent cabinet expansion, issues of political representation and what they described as growing dissatisfaction within sections of the party. Participants are understood to have maintained that their initiative was intended as a corrective exercise aimed at strengthening the organisation rather than challenging the leadership.

Sources said several legislators argued that ministers who had completed two years in office should make way for new faces and reportedly advocated a broader reshuffle to accommodate overlooked lawmakers. The meeting also allegedly produced demands for changes involving the Chief Minister's Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, Minister Chowdhary Javed Rana and party Treasurer Shami Oberoi, whom some participants blamed for contributing to the prevailing discontent.

The emerging faction is also believed to have reached out to Ruhullah in an effort to secure his support. However, sources said the MP declined to associate himself with the group, reiterating that his disagreements with the leadership were ideological and political rather than linked to the recent cabinet reshuffle. His refusal to join the dissident camp is being seen as a setback for those hoping to build a larger pressure group within the party.

Adding another dimension to the unfolding turmoil, senior NC leader Mubarak Gul has announced that he will address a press conference on November 4 to disclose details about recent developments within the party. Gul's statement follows confusion surrounding the post of General Secretary after NC president Farooq Abdullah initially appointed him to the position on October 27 following Ali Mohammad Sagar's induction into the Cabinet. However, a subsequent order directed Sagar to continue as General Secretary until further orders, fuelling speculation about internal differences and organisational uncertainty.

Despite mounting reports of unrest, NC Kashmir Provincial President Showkat Ahmad Mir dismissed suggestions of a rebellion within the party. Speaking to reporters, Mir described the recent legislators' meeting as a routine gathering held ahead of the Darbar Move, the biannual move of the government to winter capital Jammu, and said it had been unnecessarily portrayed as an organised revolt.

Acknowledging that some legislators were disappointed following the cabinet expansion, Mir said expressing differences of opinion was a democratic right within the party and did not constitute a threat to its unity. Drawing a comparison with family dynamics, he remarked that disappointment over preferential treatment was natural but did not imply separation from the collective.

"Even within a family, differences arise when one member is given preference over another. But that does not mean anyone will abandon the family. Similarly, disappointment does not mean legislators will leave the party or its leadership," he said.

Mir insisted that attempts to portray the NC as divided would fail and maintained that differing opinions among legislators would not undermine the party's unity or organisational cohesion.