Srinagar, Aug 28: Srinagar Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has confirmed that he will resign from Parliament and the primary membership of the National Conference on November 3.
Speaking to NDTV, Ruhullah said he would formally submit his resignation to the Lok Sabha Speaker and NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah on November 3, the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, who was killed in an IED blast in 2000.
Ruhullah said he had decided to step down because he did not want to remain part of what he described as “lies and betrayal”, accusing the NC leadership of reneging on its electoral commitment to fight for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status.
“Yes, I am resigning from the party and as Srinagar MP,” Ruhullah told NDTV, while indicating that he had a few commitments to fulfil before formally submitting his resignation.
Among these, he said, was the disbursement of funds under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS). He also said he had invited several MPs to a conference in Srinagar as part of his efforts to mobilise support for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional rights.
Ruhullah is also planning a public rally in Budgam on November 3, where he intends to formally release his resignation letter and explain the reasons behind his decision.
The announcement comes days after NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah challenged Ruhullah to resign from the Lok Sabha and seek a fresh mandate from the people of Srinagar. Responding to the challenge, Ruhullah had said it was not possible for him to send Farooq Abdullah “empty-handed”.
Ruhullah has been increasingly critical of the NC leadership, particularly over what he sees as a departure from the party’s stated position on the restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
He has argued that the restoration of special status was part of the NC’s election manifesto and accused the leadership of abandoning that commitment after coming to power.
Following his resignation, Ruhullah said he may contest the resulting Lok Sabha by-election from Srinagar as an Independent candidate, although he would first consult the people before taking a final decision.
The proposed resignation marks a significant political rupture between the Srinagar MP and the National Conference, with Ruhullah set to leave both the parliamentary seat he won in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the party on the same date carrying personal significance for him.
November 3 will mark 26 years since the killing of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, a prominent Kashmiri political and religious figure who was killed in an IED blast in 2000.
