Ends 24-year association with party;announces decision on father’s 26th death anniversary
Says “People of J&K will set their own political agenda”
Srinagar| Nov, 03: In a significant political development in Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday announced his resignation from the National Conference (NC), ending his 24-year association with the party, and submitted his resignation from the Lok Sabha to Speaker Om Birla, while signalling the possibility of launching a new political movement in the region.
Ruhullah made the announcement at a massive gathering at Bahisht-e-Zehra Park in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, held to mark the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi. The three-time MLA used the occasion to outline his political differences with the NC leadership and call for a new political initiative centred on the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing thousands of supporters during an approximately 80-minute speech, Ruhullah launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Farooq Abdullah, accusing the party leadership of abandoning its commitment to the restoration of Article 370 and failing to uphold the expectations raised during the 2024 Assembly elections.
“I am signing the document of my freedom,” Ruhullah said while signing his resignation letter from the party on the stage. He subsequently handed over the document to Muhammad Ashraf Mattoo, father of Tufail Mattoo, who was killed in alleged police firing in 2010 when Omar Abdullah was the Chief Minister.
In his address, Ruhullah indicated that his political journey would continue outside the NC, hinting at the formation of a new political platform or movement involving what he described as honest and compassionate people.
Calling upon young people and ordinary citizens to take an active role in shaping the political future of Jammu and Kashmir, he said thousands of young people were capable of assuming leadership responsibilities.
“The movement will take shape when the right people come forward,” he said.
Ruhullah also asserted that the political agenda of Jammu and Kashmir should emerge from within the region rather than being determined by political establishments in New Delhi.
“We will set the agenda. No person sitting in Delhi can set the agenda for us,” he said, adding that the trust placed in the political leadership during the 2024 elections had not been honoured.
In his resignation letter addressed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Ruhullah described his decision to leave the Lower House as voluntary and genuine and requested that it be accepted.
In a separate two-page communication addressed to the NC leadership, the MP explained the circumstances that led to his decision, tracing his differences to the party’s political position following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A in August 2019.
He said he had initially viewed the National Conference, given its political history, as the natural platform to lead the struggle for restoration of the region’s constitutional rights.
However, referring to the 2024 Assembly elections, Ruhullah alleged that the party changed its position soon after the electoral process, disappointing people who had supported it on the expectation that it would pursue the restoration of Article 370.
“The electoral arena had not yet cooled down when the NC did an about-turn,” he wrote, describing the development as a betrayal of public expectations.
He maintained that his principal concern was not merely his political disagreement with the leadership but what he viewed as the abandonment of the aspirations of the people at a critical juncture in Jammu and Kashmir’s political history.
Warning against growing political disengagement, Ruhullah argued that the region was undergoing significant transitions that could have long-term implications for its identity and future.
He said political withdrawal and the abandonment of responsibility would further weaken the ability of people to articulate their concerns and protect their interests.
“Depoliticisation and abdication of politics, at this critical time, aids and abets this process of denudation of the people of J&K. I cannot and will not be party to this,” he wrote, adding that his conscience and political ethics would not allow him to remain associated with the party.
Ruhullah’s announcement marks a significant development in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly as it comes from a leader who was elected to the Lok Sabha on an NC ticket in 2024 and had been associated with the party for more than two decades.
His indication of launching a new political movement leaves open questions about its organisational structure, leadership and future political course. However, his address made clear that he intends to continue his political engagement outside the National Conference, seeking to mobilise support around what he described as the political aspirations and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
