Aga Ruhullah announces exit from NC, resignation as Srinagar MP

BUDGAM — National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday announced his decision to part ways with the National Conference and resign from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, bringing his prolonged confrontation with the party leadership to a decisive public moment.

Addressing a gathering at Behishti Zehra Park in Budgam on the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, Ruhullah reiterated his position that his political decision was rooted in principles and the party’s failure, as he sees it, to honour commitments made to the people during the 2024 elections.

During the gathering, Ruhullah also handed over a copy of his resignation letter to the father of Tufail Mattoo. The symbolic gesture placed the announcement in the presence of a family associated with one of the most painful episodes in Kashmir’s recent history.

Ruhullah’s decision marks a major break with the party in which he had been a prominent campaigner during the 2024 Assembly elections. His differences with the National Conference leadership have widened over the party’s approach to the restoration of Article 370, the release of political prisoners, reservation policy and the broader question of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional rights.

The MP has repeatedly argued that the National Conference sought a public mandate on promises that included pursuing the restoration of Article 370 and protecting the political rights of the people, but failed to pursue those commitments with the seriousness voters expected after the party formed the government.

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In a statement issued before the gathering, Ruhullah’s office said the party leadership had treated voters as though they could not distinguish a broken promise from political necessity. It said the Srinagar parliamentary seat had been won on a promise to the people and that he would not remain associated with what he described as a betrayal of that promise.

The confrontation intensified in August after National Conference president Farooq Abdullah challenged Ruhullah to resign and seek a fresh mandate if he believed his electoral victory reflected his own political standing. Ruhullah subsequently announced that he would leave both the party and Parliament on November 3.

His criticism has also centred on the party’s emphasis on restoration of statehood, which he has argued cannot replace the demand for restoration of the constitutional protections associated with Article 370 and Article 35-A.

Ruhullah’s departure is a significant development for the National Conference, which is already facing reports of discontent among sections of its legislators following the recent Cabinet expansion. His decision raises questions about the party’s ability to manage internal dissent and reconcile its electoral commitments with its approach in government.