Farooq Abdullah's Resignation Dare Deepens NC Rift With Srinagar MP Ruhullah

The internal crisis within the National Conference (NC) has escalated sharply, with party president Dr. Farooq Abdullah publicly challenging Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi to resign and contest a fresh election without the party's backing. The challenge has prompted the MP to hint at a possible exit.

Responding to the patriarch's remarks, Ruhullah indicated he would not ignore the demand. "It can't happen that Dr Sahib asks for something and I don't give it to him, that I send him empty-handed," he said, adding that he would respond in detail in the coming days.

The friction between Ruhullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been growing for months, driven by the MP's independent political stances and open criticism of the NC government's performance. Ruhullah has accused the party of reneging on its election promises and failing to pursue the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's constitutional status, which was revoked in August 2019.

Farooq Abdullah, who first brought Ruhullah into politics in 2000 following the death of his father, Congress leader Aga Syed Mehdi, took a pointed swipe at the MP this week. "Could Ruhullah sahib have ever won without the National Conference? I tell him, resign, resign from Parliament and go back to the people," he said in a television interview.

The senior Abdullah also dismissed Ruhullah's principled stance, accusing him of seeking personal prominence. "If Ruhullah sahib thinks that he can bring back 370, let him. He is a parliament member. Let him speak. Who stopped him? But the way he wants to make himself a tall leader, he is on the wrong path," he said.

The public confrontation marks a significant escalation in a feud that first surfaced in December 2024, when Ruhullah joined a student protest over reservation policy. With the party chief now openly demanding his resignation, the possibility of a reconciliation appears increasingly remote.