The rift between MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and his party, the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, appears to have been widening further on Thursday as the influential Shia leader was left out of the NC’s ongoing core group meeting.
The rift, which has been going on within the leadership for months, has finally surfaced openly in public domain after Ruhullah accused the NC of ignoring him for the first time since 2002.
He was apparently not invited to the National Conference core group meeting by the party high command. Ruhullah expressed surprise, saying he was not aware that any such meeting was taking place. He questioned the party leadership for ignoring him, saying, “If anything like this is happening here, then it is the first time my party has sidelined me.”
When asked about recent accusations that he was trying to form a separate political party in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “I have not distanced myself from the NC to form a new party.”
He said his major issue with the party was that what was promised in the 2024 manifesto and what has been delivered so far didn’t match. He raised questions about the party for not adequately resolving public concerns in the UT.
“It was us, my party, who promised to fight for Article 370 and the restoration of statehood. We secured votes on those promises. How can we switch to unacceptable language after getting a massive mandate?” Ruhullah asked.
Usually a calm and composed leader, he appeared a little agitated after being sidelined from the meeting. Though his expressionless face did not reveal much about the state he was in, the impact is likely to be felt across the UT in the coming days.
Experts believe he was deliberately sidelined because of the recent debacle in the Assembly by-elections in Budgam following Ruhullah’s refusal to campaign for the party candidate.
Also Read: NC core group meeting begins in Srinagar
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