In a significant setback to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday announced his resignation from Parliament and the ruling National Conference (NC), accusing the party leadership of betraying the public mandate and abandoning its commitment to fight for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional rights.
Mehdi, one of the party's most prominent Shia leaders, made the announcement at a public gathering in Budgam on the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi. The decision ended his 24-year association with the National Conference and brought into the open a prolonged disagreement with the party leadership over its political direction.
In a four-page resignation letter, Mehdi alleged that the National Conference had changed its position soon after securing a substantial mandate in the 2024 Assembly elections. He accused the leadership of prioritising the exercise of governmental power over the political commitments on which it had sought public support.
His resignation from the Lok Sabha will take effect once accepted by the Speaker, following which the Srinagar constituency will require a by-election.
๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฝ๐๐ฏ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ
Mehdi said the National Conference had received widespread support from voters who expected it to lead a sustained political struggle for the restoration of rights affected by the constitutional changes of August 2019.
He alleged that the party had reversed its position almost immediately after the electoral contest ended, leaving those who had supported it feeling betrayed.
Referring to the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, Mehdi argued that the removal of Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status had fundamentally altered the relationship between the region and the Union government.
He said he had aligned himself more closely with the National Conference after receiving assurances that it would lead a political movement for restoring those rights.
However, he claimed that the party had subsequently abandoned that responsibility and confined its demands to the restoration of statehood.
Mehdi described the shift as a failure of political leadership at a critical moment for Jammu and Kashmir.
๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ณ๐
A central issue behind Mehdi's departure has been the difference between his demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional status and the government's emphasis on regaining statehood.
The National Conference had promised to pursue the restoration of Article 370 during the 2024 Assembly elections. Since assuming office, the Omar Abdullah government has repeatedly raised the demand for statehood with the Centre.
Mehdi, however, maintained that statehood alone could not address the constitutional and political questions arising from the decisions taken in August 2019.
He also criticised the party's handling of other issues, including reservation rationalisation and the continued detention of political prisoners.
The Srinagar MP had publicly questioned the government's performance on these matters over the past year, leading to increasingly strained relations with senior National Conference leaders.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐
Mehdi's departure followed several months of public disagreements with the party leadership, including exchanges over whether he should continue representing the National Conference in Parliament.
In August, he had indicated his intention to resign from both the party and the Lok Sabha, citing ideological differences and dissatisfaction with the leadership's response to his concerns.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had earlier challenged him to relinquish his parliamentary seat and seek a fresh mandate if he no longer agreed with the party's policies.
Mehdi subsequently announced that he would formally step down on November 3, coinciding with his father's death anniversary.
His father, Aga Syed Mehdi, was killed in a militant attack in 2000, and the anniversary gathering in Budgam provided the setting for the announcement.
๐ก๐ผ ๐ถ๐บ๐บ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ท๐ผ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐
Sources close to Mehdi indicated that he had no immediate plans to join another political organisation. Instead, he intends to explore the formation of a youth-led political collective focused on Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional rights and other public concerns.
He has also indicated that his departure should not be interpreted as an attempt to destabilise the Omar Abdullah government.
The resignation nevertheless represents an organisational and political challenge for the National Conference, particularly because Mehdi has maintained a distinct public profile on issues concerning constitutional safeguards and political representation.
His departure could also lead to a fresh electoral contest in Srinagar, depending on the acceptance of his parliamentary resignation and the subsequent election schedule.
The development has brought renewed attention to divisions within the National Conference over its priorities after returning to power in 2024, with Mehdi insisting that his decision was driven by political principles rather than personal ambition.