J&K: Will Ruhullah Mehdi leave National Conference? Rift widens between Srinagar MP and party leadership

The rift is growing between National Conference (NC) MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and the party’s top leadership, as differences over political direction and representation become more apparent.

 

Speaking at a civil society gathering in Sopore, Baramulla, Ruhullah strongly criticised the current state of politics in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the political system had declined to such an extent that simply switching parties or leaders would not fix the deeper issues.

 

“The quality of polity and politics that we have has degraded,” he said. “It would not make a difference whether you change the party or they keep changing the party.” He added, ”As long as you do not change the politics, this drama will continue every day.”

 

He called on people to rise above party loyalties and demand real political reform. Although he did not mention the NC, his comments were widely seen as criticism of the party’s current direction and its handling of public concerns, especially after the abrogation of Article 370.

 

Chief Minister and NC vice president Omar Abdullah responded firmly to his comments. Without naming, Omar defended the party’s MLAs and their work. “All NC MLAs are competent and have been working for the people. Where can you bring the new faces? The people have chosen them for five years,” he said.  “Why are you wasting your time? You should look into the work.”

 

He said those raising questions should show their report card first. NC MLAs will show theirs when the time comes. The remarks were seen as a clear rebuttal to Ruhullah’s critique, exposing the party’s discomfort with internal dissent being aired publicly.

 

The differences have deepened since the NC formed the government in October last year, after assembly elections were held in J&K for the first time in a decade. Ruhullah, the MP from Srinagar, has often taken a stand that differ from the party’s official position, especially on issues like the revocation of Article 370, links with the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the role of mainstream politicians in Kashmir’s political decline.

 

In 2019, following the Centre’s move to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, Ruhullah stepped down as NC’s chief spokesperson, criticising the party’s muted response. Since then, he has continued to push for rights-based politics centred on the dignity of Kashmiris, accusing traditional parties of abandoning core values for power.

India