Months of rift culminate in Ruhullah’s break with National Conference

Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi | Photo Credit: ANI

After months of political wrangling between influential Shia leader and Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and the National Conference leadership, their differences finally came to a head on Tuesday, with Mehdi announcing his decision to part ways with the party and resign from the Lok Sabha.

Large posters bearing the slogan “Wada Kursi Se Bada Hai” (A promise is greater than a chair), alongside photographs of Mehdi, adorned the walls around Behishti Zehra Park, where he addressed his supporters.

Addressing a large gathering in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on the 26th death anniversary of his father, the 50-year-old leader said God had freed him from the National Conference, waving what he described as his resignation papers.

Mehdi said he quit over political principles and the party’s failure to fulfil promises made to voters during the 2024 Assembly elections.

He accused the National Conference of betraying the mandate it had received from voters.

“I can no longer be part of a party that has failed to honour its promises on the restoration of Article 370, the release of prisoners and free electricity,” he said.

In his fiery speech, Mehdi repeatedly described Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as “incompetent” and invoked religious verses to reinforce his criticism of the party leadership.

“You bowed before the powerful like a slave but showed your power to helpless students who wanted to meet you to seek a review of the reservation policy,” Mehdi said.

The rift between Mehdi and the party leadership began soon after Omar Abdullah took over as Chief Minister. In December 2024, Mehdi joined students protesting outside the Chief Minister’s residence, demanding a fair reservation policy. His participation in the demonstration brought his differences with the government into the open.

In a symbolic gesture, Mehdi handed a copy of his resignation to Mohammad Ashraf Matoo, father of Tufail Matoo, who was killed after being hit by a tear-gas shell during the 2010 unrest, asking him to forward it to the National Conference president. Interestingly, Mehdi was a minister in the National Conference government when Tufail was killed.

He also sent his resignation letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and subsequently shared a copy of it on his social media account on X.

Published on November 3, 2026