Aga Ruhullah Mehdi to resign from National Conference and Lok Sabha

Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has announced his intention to resign from both the National Conference (NC) and his seat in Parliament on November 3. The decision follows a public dispute with NC President Farooq Abdullah regarding the party’s political direction in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a letter to Abdullah, Mehdi accused the party leadership of a “brazen moral failure” for allegedly reneging on its 2024 election manifesto commitment to restore Articles 370 and 35A. He argued that the party’s current focus on merely restoring statehood legitimizes the constitutional changes made in August 2019 and falls short of its original promises.

Mehdi stated that while his resignation is certain, he demands accountability for the party’s shift in stance. He noted that the chosen date, November 3, marks the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi. Following his resignation, Mehdi indicated he may contest the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-election as an independent candidate.