Aga Ruhullah's veiled attack on leadership sparks row within National Conference

Although the ruling National Conference (NC) is trying to downplay Aga Ruhullah Mehdi's reported "walkout" from the working committee meeting, the sulking NC Lok Sabha member from Srinagar launched a veiled attack on the party leadership for "not rising to the occasion."

In a strongly worded statement, Mehdi posted a powerful message on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling on the political leadership to either rise to the occasion or step aside.

Quoting a hard-hitting line in Kashmiri, Ruhullah wrote: "Oh leader! Either rise and become such a sukhanvar (orator/poet/speaker) who serves a purpose for the nation, or sit in the comfort of the zanpaan (palanquin)." These are the couplets of the renowned poet Janbaaz Kishtwari.

Though he did not name anyone directly, the timing and tone of the post have sparked intense speculation, especially following his recent walkout from the National Conference Working Committee meeting after a heated ideological clash with Omar Abdullah, according to reports.

Interestingly, Ruhullah posted these lines in Urdu on his personal social media account. His office later translated them, further fueling political debate.

Ruhullah has increasingly positioned himself as a voice of ideological clarity, often calling out what he sees as compromises or silence on critical issues. This latest statement is being viewed as a continuation of that stance—and perhaps a signal of what lies ahead in the region's evolving political discourse.

NC Dismisses Reports of Ruhullah's Walkout

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) chief spokesperson and MLA from Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, refuted rumours that senior party leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi was planning to quit. He called the reports "completely fabricated and baseless."

Speaking to the media, Tanvir Sadiq said, "Aga Ruhullah attended the recent working committee meeting, and I was present. He did not walk out; he sought permission to leave due to a family emergency following the death of a relative."

Tanvir further added that all members, including Aga Ruhullah, unanimously supported the seven resolutions passed during the meeting, including the one concerning special status.

"Some individuals, displeased with the resolutions, are now trying to create confusion by falsely suggesting that Aga Ruhullah is unhappy with the party or its governance. That is simply untrue," he said.

He emphasized that every member of the NC working committee, including Aga Ruhullah, stood by the resolutions and the party's collective vision.

Earlier, some reports suggested that Aga Ruhullah Mehdi walked out of the party's working committee meeting held on Wednesday after a heated exchange with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

In December 2024, Ruhullah had joined opposition leaders in staging a protest outside the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, against the existing reservation rules in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

National Conference's MLA from Hazratbal, Salman Ali Sagar, had strongly criticized the party's Member of Parliament for staging a protest alongside leaders of rival parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

"Being a respected leader and elected MP of the party, Ruhullah Mehdi should have raised this issue within the party forum, rather than protesting alongside opposition leaders outside the residence of his own party's Chief Minister," Salman Sagar had stated in December 2024.

"No party should allow its member to protest against its Chief Minister, President, or Vice President," he added, noting that politicizing a highly sensitive issue like reservation was unfortunate and uncalled for.

"No individual is bigger than the party—be it an MP or MLA," he concluded, further stating that the protest was mishandled by Aga Ruhullah.