5 days ago
Ruhullah Mehdi to Resign Over National Conference Article 370 Stand
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi is a National Conference member of India’s Lok Sabha from Srinagar.
He disagrees with party leaders about what Jammu and Kashmir should seek politically.
Mehdi says statehood alone is not enough.
He wants the party to continue demanding the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A.
He says these provisions are connected to protections for land, resources, culture, language and religious rights.
Mehdi also says the party promised restoration in its 2024 manifesto.
Farooq Abdullah challenged him to resign and seek a new mandate if his election victory was mainly personal.
Mehdi says he will resign from the party and Parliament on November 3.
He may later form a new political party, according to speculation reported in one article.
National Conference Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi said he will resign from the party and Parliament in November.
Mehdi accused the National Conference of narrowing its political goal to statehood and thereby legitimising the August 2019 constitutional changes.
He argued that restoring Article 370 and Article 35A should remain legitimate demands protecting land, resources, culture, language and religious rights.
Mehdi said the National Conference’s 2024 manifesto had promised restoration of the provisions and accused the party of misleading voters.
He plans to submit his resignations on November 3 after disbursing MPLADS funds and hosting an MPs’ conference in Srinagar.
- Who
- Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a National Conference Lok Sabha member, and party president Farooq Abdullah.
- What
- Mehdi announced plans to resign from the National Conference and the Lok Sabha while challenging the party’s position on Article 370.
- Where
- The dispute concerns Jammu and Kashmir; Mehdi represents Srinagar and plans to hold an MPs’ conference there.
- When
- Mehdi said he will submit his resignations on November 3; one account refers to Abdullah’s statement on August 25, 2026.
- Why
- Mehdi said statehood should not replace demands to restore Article 370 and Article 35A and the constitutional protections he associates with them.
Ruhullah Mehdi’s Position
National Conference Leadership’s Position
Article 370 and statehood
Ruhullah Mehdi’s Position
Mehdi says statehood alone is too limited and that restoring Article 370 and Article 35A remains a legitimate political demand.
National Conference Leadership’s Position
Mehdi characterises the party’s recent emphasis on statehood as similar to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s position and as potentially normalising the August 2019 changes.
Party promises
Ruhullah Mehdi’s Position
Mehdi says the National Conference promised restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A in its 2024 manifesto and accused the party of misleading voters if it no longer pursues those demands.
National Conference Leadership’s Position
The articles do not provide a detailed direct response from the National Conference leadership to that accusation.
Political accountability
Ruhullah Mehdi’s Position
Mehdi says elected representatives should push for constitutional guarantees rather than adjust their aspirations to what the Bharatiya Janata Party is willing to concede.
National Conference Leadership’s Position
Farooq Abdullah challenged Mehdi to resign and seek a fresh mandate if he believed his 2024 victory reflected personal credibility rather than National Conference support.
Key facts
- Party
- National Conference
- Member of Parliament
- Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, representing Srinagar in the Lok Sabha
- Planned resignations
- Mehdi said he will resign from the National Conference and the Lok Sabha on November 3
- Central dispute
- Whether statehood should be the political limit or whether restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A should remain a demand
- Cited manifesto
- Mehdi said the National Conference’s 2024 manifesto promised restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A
- Planned activities before resignation
- Mehdi said he needed time to disburse MPLADS funds and host an MPs’ conference in Srinagar
- Possible next step
- One report said his resignation has prompted speculation that he may launch a new political party
Quotes
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi
National Conference Lok Sabha member from Jammu and Kashmir
“This demotion to statehood is opposed to the grand promises of restoration of Articles 370 and 35A that we came to power with. If so, then this is not merely a political misjudgment. It is a sin, a brazen moral failure of deliberately misleading an entire population.”
thehansindia.com
“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.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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