National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi stated he is prepared to leave the party, but insisted on structural accountability from the top leadership before his formal exit.
Responding to NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s public call for his resignation, Ruhullah penned a critical letter asserting that his departure would occur without needing to be asked, provided that internal accountability is addressed first
Core Issues Raised in the Letter:
Convergence with Central Policy:
Ruhullah argued that the National Conference’s current political stance on Jammu and Kashmir has effectively aligned with the BJP’s agenda by prioritizing statehood over the reinstatement of Article 370.
Manifesto Contradictions:
He questioned why the party campaigned on the restoration of Article 370 in its 2024 Assembly election manifesto if leadership considered it unachievable, calling any intentional retreat a breach of voter trust.
Refusal to Limit Political Demands:
Rejecting arguments that pursuing Article 370 is politically unfeasible, Ruhullah stated that lawmakers must not trim their objectives to match what New Delhi is willing to grant.
Statehood vs. Special Status: He emphasized that merely regaining statehood does not replace the lost special constitutional provisions, warning that settling for statehood alone normalizes the August 2019 abrogation.
Historical Precedents:
Reminding Abdullah of the state assembly’s past Autonomy Resolution passed under his tenure as Chief Minister, Ruhullah questioned why advocating for constitutional safeguards now provokes demands for his resignation.
Personal Response: Addressing Abdullah’s comments regarding his political background, Ruhullah noted his lineage as the son of a martyr and recalled that Abdullah himself had originally recruited him into the party ranks.
