Srinagar, Nov 04 (KNO): A day after Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi announced his exit from the National Conference, the party on Wednesday launched a scathing counterattack, with MLA Salman Ali Sagar claiming that BJP has succeeded in its “Operation Lotus” by pushing the Srinagar MP out of the party.
Questioning Ruhullah’s decision to walk away instead of resolving differences within the organisation, Salman, said the NC’s strength did not depend on any individual, as Banihal MLA Sajad Shaheen also accused the MP of betraying the party and the electorate that had elected him.
Addressing a joint press conference at Nawai Subah, party headquarters, the duo as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said Ruhullah had every democratic right to question the party leadership, express disagreement and take independent decisions, but should have raised his grievances through the party’s internal forums.
MLA Salman Sagar said the National Conference is a democratic organisation where every member had the right to speak and raise questions. He termed the language used by Ruhullah against the party leadership unfortunate, saying political differences should be expressed within the bounds of dignity and decorum.
“I feel the BJP has succeeded in its Operation Lotus, particularly in pushing Aga Ruhullah Sahib out of the National Conference,” he said.
MLA Salman said the BJP had been attempting to weaken the National Conference for years and the latest developments had served its political interests in Kashmir.
Referring to BJP’s earlier political gains in Jammu, he cited the exits of former NC leaders, including late Devender Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Salathia, saying the BJP had now succeeded in getting Ruhullah out of the party as well.
He said the developments needed to be viewed in the wider political context of attempts to weaken the National Conference and its political influence in Jammu and Kashmir.
NC’S STRENGTH RESTS ON ITS COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP
Questioning Ruhullah’s engagement with the party, Salman said the MP had not regularly visited the party headquarters or made sufficient efforts to reach out to party legislators and other stakeholders. He also asked how many times Ruhullah had personally approached MLAs to discuss his grievances or mobilise them on issues concerning the party and the people.
Salman said differences could have been resolved through dialogue, adding that the party leadership had expected him to engage with its elected representatives rather than take such a major decision.
Rejecting suggestions that Ruhullah’s departure reflected any weakness within the NC, Salman said the party’s strength rested on its collective leadership, political ideology and the mandate given by the people, rather than any individual.
He said people have voted the National Conference to power to protect their political identity, representation and rights, and not because of any one leader. Referring to Articles 370 and 35A, Salman said the NC’s core political agenda remained unchanged and could not be judged through the developments involving an individual leader.
He said the party had consistently shared its position on restoration of special status and statehood, adding that its political commitment had been reflected in the resolutions passed by the government and the Assembly.
On the reservation issue, Salman said the National Conference had acknowledged concerns over the existing reservation policy and had included corrective measures in its election manifesto.
He said a Cabinet sub-committee had examined the matter and submitted its report to the Cabinet in June 2025, after which it was forwarded to the Lieutenant Governor for further consideration.
Questioning Ruhullah’s criticism of the party over the issue, Salman asked why he had not raised similar questions about the delay in the report’s approval and the role of the Lieutenant Governor.
Salman further said the party’s historical legacy and the sacrifices of martyrs should not be used for political purposes.
Referring to the July 13 martyrs and the 2010 unrest, he questioned Ruhullah’s efforts to honour those who had lost their lives. He also said that personal differences or an ego clash could have contributed to the developments, adding that more details about the circumstances would emerge in the coming days.
Meanwhile, MLA Sajad Shaheen also termed Ruhullah’s departure unfortunate and said he had betrayed not only the National Conference but also the electorate that had voted for him on the party ticket.
Shaheen said Ruhullah had won the Srinagar parliamentary constituency with a huge mandate on the NC ticket and questioned his performance during his nearly two-year tenure as an MP.
He said that apart from taking an initiative seeking the impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, which involved mobilising signatures of MPs, Ruhullah had not taken any other significant initiative in Parliament that directly addressed the aspirations and concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
RUHULLAH CHOSE TO TARGET NC, REMAINED SILENT ON PDP
Shaheen also questioned why Ruhullah had chosen to target the National Conference leadership while remaining comparatively silent on other political parties, particularly the PDP, which he accused of having facilitated the BJP’s entry into the erstwhile state through its alliance.
He said the National Conference had never compromised on its political position on Articles 370 and 35A and would continue its struggle for the restoration of the rights and special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to the party’s political history, Shaheen said the NC’s struggle for the rights and identity of Jammu and Kashmir is much older than the present political developments and had continued despite several challenges. He said the party would neither compromise on its political agenda nor distance itself from the people it represented.
DEPARTURE OF ONE LEADER WON’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE
Shaheen also questioned the timing and manner in which Ruhullah had invoked the sacrifices of martyrs, particularly Tufail Mattoo, saying the issue should not be used for political positioning.
He said Ruhullah had held important positions in the government in the past and contested subsequent elections on the National Conference ticket, questioning why he had not raised these concerns in the same manner earlier.
Both the leaders said the NC’s political strength could not be measured through the departure of one leader, asserting that the party’s mandate came from the people.
On the possibility of further political exits, Sagar said anyone associating with the BJP or working to advance its political agenda would face the people’s judgement—(KNO)