The internal conflict within the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) has intensified following the Rajya Sabha elections. MP Aga Syed Ruhullah has accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of weakening the party. He warned that if the situation does not change, the party could face significant losses in the 2025 assembly elections.
Jammu-Kashmir: A major political upheaval has struck the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) after the Rajya Sabha elections. Party MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has openly challenged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Ruhullah accused the Chief Minister of weakening the party, stating that if the situation continues, the party will suffer significant losses in the 2025 Assembly Elections.
The dispute escalated further in Srinagar on Monday night when MP Ruhullah's supporters took to the streets in protest against a remark made about him, raising slogans against the Chief Minister. This internal struggle within the party has now come out into the open.
Chief Minister and MP Face Off
MP Aga Ruhullah has questioned the government's policies on several occasions recently. He has alleged that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is not acting in accordance with public sentiment. The Chief Minister, in turn, retaliated by stating that Ruhullah's distancing himself from campaigning in Budgam would make no difference.
The Chief Minister's supporters also participated in this war of words, demanding MP Ruhullah's resignation. This clash within the party has now become not just a political disagreement but a struggle for prestige.
How the Dispute Began
Indeed, Aga Syed Ruhullah has consistently questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's policies. By distancing himself from the Budgam by-election, he signaled his disagreement with the party leadership. He asserts that the government is not making decisions in line with the interests of common people.
On Sunday, Mian Altaf, MP from Rajouri-Anantnag, had also advised the Chief Minister to focus on public welfare issues. Responding to this, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the media that Mian Altaf is a senior leader, but he cannot be compared to Aga Ruhullah. This statement further inflamed the situation.
Supporters Protest on Streets
Following the Chief Minister's statement, Ruhullah's supporters became agitated. Protests were held in Sonawari, Nowgam, and other areas of Bandipora. Supporters issued a clear warning that no remarks against Aga Ruhullah's respect would be tolerated. Protesters chanted slogans against Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and demanded respectful treatment for Ruhullah from the party leadership.
Omar's Supporters Retaliate
Meanwhile, MLA Abdul Majeed Larmi, considered close to the Chief Minister, challenged the defiant MP, stating that if he believes the Chief Minister has done nothing, he should resign from his MP position and contest elections again. Larmi asserted that no major political or economic decision is possible without the restoration of statehood. According to him, many of the state's powers are now with the central government, making it unfair to place all blame on the Chief Minister.
Omar's Statement on the Budgam Dispute
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that Ruhullah's lack of campaigning in the Budgam region would have no impact. He remarked that the National Conference has many b grassroots leaders. Commenting on the comparison between Mian Altaf and Ruhullah, he said, “Where is Mian Altaf and where is Aga Ruhullah? This comparison is like heaven and earth.”
Omar Abdullah also stated that if Budgam is backward, those who have represented it for a long time are responsible. His implication was directly towards Aga Ruhullah, who served as an MLA from Budgam from 2002 to 2018 and is now an MP from Srinagar.
Ruhullah's Counterattack
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi retaliated against Omar Abdullah, stating that the party leadership should rise above individual ego and focus on the problems and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He added that if the Chief Minister wants to turn this dispute into a battle of personal egos, he is also ready for the challenge.
Ruhullah stated that the issues of Kashmir are not merely political but humanitarian. Questioning the government's inaction, he said that the government is silent on the issue of reservation, political prisoners are not discussed, there is a shortage of jobs, and religion and culture are under threat. He clarified that he has not rebelled but has demanded accountability.
