BUDGAM: Aga Ruhullah Mehdi ended Monday his 24-year association with National Conference, resigning as its functionary and Srinagar MP while declaring his exit an act of “azadi” and accusing CM Omar Abdullah of betraying the party’s election promises, surrendering to BJP and failing to defend J&K’s political rights.Recalling the 2024 assembly election campaign in Ganderbal, Mehdi said Omar had removed his skullcap and sought votes in the name of its dignity. “You remember nothing, neither your promises nor your skullcap,” he said.He handed over the resignation to Muhammad Ashraf Mattoo, father of Tufail Mattoo, who was killed in alleged police firing in 2010 during Omar Abdullah’s tenure as CM, asking him to deliver it to NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah.Farooq had told Mehdi in Aug that he was free to quit. Mehdi announced that he would resign on the death anniversary of his father Aga Syed Mehdi, a Shia cleric and Congress politician assassinated in a terrorist attack on Nov 3, 2000.In an hour-long speech, Mehdi repeatedly called Omar “incompetent” and “meek”, accusing him of being aggressive towards his own people while remaining submissive to BJP. He cited govt’s handling of the reservation policy, the unfulfilled promise of 200 units of free electricity and its failure to mount a forceful demand for restoration of Article 370.Mehdi said he had repeatedly raised these issues within the party over the past two years but was asked by colleagues to remain silent.He accused the CM of meekly pleading with Centre for restoration of statehood and also alleged that Omar had failed to raise the cases of hundreds of youths “who are in jails without trial”.
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Mehdi indicated plans to float a new party based on “principles and having character”, saying he would travel across J&K to find “suitable people”. He is likely to contest the Srinagar seat as an independent candidate during bypolls.BJP national vice president Ram Madhav distanced his party from NC’s internal developments during a day-long visit to Jammu. “We have no involvement in the internal affairs of National Conference. That is their internal affair. What do we have to do with it?” he said, adding that NC was “visibly divided”.
