National Conference (NC) MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has decided to resign from the Lok Sabha and quit the primary membership of the party, deepening an already public rift with the NC leadership. Ruhullah, who represents Srinagar, said he will formally submit his resignation on November 3, the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi, who was killed in a terrorist attack.
The decision comes days after NC president Farooq Abdullah challenged Ruhullah to resign from Parliament and seek a fresh mandate from voters. The Srinagar MP has now accepted the challenge, saying he is prepared to face the electorate again after deciding that he can no longer remain associated with what he described as a departure from the party's ideological commitments.
Ruhullah's disagreement with the NC leadership centres largely on the party's position on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. He has accused the leadership of failing to honour an election promise to continue fighting for the restoration of the region's special constitutional position. His criticism has increasingly become public, reflecting a widening ideological divide within the party.
The Srinagar MP has maintained that his decision is motivated by principles rather than political calculations. He said he did not want to remain part of what he described as “lies and betrayal”. His decision to relinquish both his parliamentary position and party membership marks a significant escalation in his differences with the NC leadership.
Ruhullah's resignation plan also carries personal significance because of the date he has chosen. November 3 will mark 26 years since the death of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi. The senior political figure was killed in an IED blast attributed to terrorists, and his death remains a significant event in the family's political history. The proposed resignation could trigger a fresh political contest in Srinagar if the Lok Sabha seat falls vacant and a by-election is subsequently scheduled. Ruhullah's decision to seek a renewed mandate, if he contests the resulting election, would give voters an opportunity to weigh his position against that of the National Conference leadership.
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The dispute comes against the backdrop of continuing political disagreements over the constitutional and political status of Jammu and Kashmir. The region lost its special status in August 2019 after the Centre abrogated Article 370 and reorganised the former state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The National Conference has continued to advocate the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's special status, but differences have emerged over the pace and approach towards achieving that objective. Ruhullah has been among the party leaders to voice stronger criticism when he believes the leadership has not pursued the issue sufficiently.
Farooq Abdullah's challenge to Ruhullah added a new dimension to the dispute. Rather than simply continuing his criticism from within the party, the MP has now indicated that he is willing to leave both the organisation and Parliament and return to voters for a fresh mandate. Ruhullah's decision is also significant because Srinagar is one of the National Conference's traditional political strongholds. Any future contest for the constituency could therefore become a closely watched test of public sentiment towards the party's leadership and Ruhullah's position on issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir.
For the NC leadership, the development represents a challenge to party unity at a time when political parties in the region continue to navigate competing expectations over restoration of statehood and special constitutional provisions. Ruhullah's departure could further expose differences over how aggressively the party should pursue those demands. The resignation, once formally submitted, will have to go through the established parliamentary process before the Srinagar seat is officially declared vacant. The Election Commission would subsequently determine the timing and conduct of any by-election in accordance with electoral rules.
Ruhullah has linked the timing of his decision to the anniversary of his father's death, giving the move both political and personal significance. By choosing to resign rather than remain within the party despite his disagreements, he has signalled that his differences with the NC leadership have reached a point where continued association is no longer acceptable to him. The coming months will determine whether Ruhullah's decision leads to a direct electoral confrontation with the National Conference or reshapes the political equations within Srinagar. For now, his announcement represents one of the most significant challenges to the NC leadership from within its parliamentary ranks.
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