Srinagar, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Friday announced that he will resign from both the party and Parliament in November, citing differences with the NC’s position on the political future of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a detailed letter to NC president Farooq Abdullah, Mehdi said Abdullah’s recent remarks had resonated with him but also highlighted what he described as contradictions in the party’s political position.
Referring to Abdullah’s August 25 statement that people of Jammu and Kashmir must “stand on their feet”, Mehdi said the remarks reflected the frustration felt by many in the region.
However, he questioned the NC’s acceptance of statehood as its political objective, arguing that it was effectively no different from the position of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and amounted to accepting the constitutional changes made in August 2019.
Mehdi also referred to the NC’s 2024 manifesto, which had promised restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. He questioned whether those commitments were intended to be pursued despite the BJP being in power.
“This demotion to statehood is opposed to the grand promises of restoration of Articles 370 and 35A that we came to power with,” he said, describing any departure from those commitments as a “moral failure” and an act of misleading the people.
Mehdi accused the party of misleading voters and said he did not want to be associated with what he termed a “lie”. He also claimed to have faced a coordinated campaign of criticism within the NC.
He said Article 370 represented the struggle for the restoration of dignity, constitutional guarantees and liberties for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting concerns over the region’s youth, Mehdi said nearly 65 per cent of Jammu and Kashmir’s population was young but faced uncertainty because of limited employment and opportunities. He also raised concerns over land and resource issues.
“Our responsibility is to push the horizon of our demands; to fight for constitutional guarantees that protect our people, our rich and diverse traditions, our resources, and the land we hold most dearly,” he said.
Mehdi also reminded Abdullah that he had personally invited him to join the NC, rejecting suggestions that his political career was solely dependent on the party.
His announcement to quit both the NC and the Lok Sabha in November has triggered speculation that he could launch a new political outfit.
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