Budgam, Nov 3 (HS): Srinagar Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday announced his resignation from the primary membership of the National Conference (NC) as well as from his parliamentary seat, fulfilling his pledge to quit on November 3.

Ruhullah made the announcement at a gathering at Behisht-e-Zahra Park here, held on the death anniversary of his father, late Aga Syed Mehdi, a prominent religious and political leader who was assassinated in 2000. He signed the resignation letter from the party in front of the gathering.

“I was with the National Conference until 2:40 pm. Now I am free,” Ruhullah told the gathering. “Today I sign my declaration of freedom.”

He also announced a “movement” and appealed to people, particularly young people, to support him.

“Give me honest young people. I will go everywhere,” he said. “Your coming here is equal to crores of people coming.”

People had been arriving in Budgam from different areas since morning, and the park witnessed a large gathering.

Ruhullah, who won the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Srinagar on an NC ticket, had in recent months openly expressed dissatisfaction with the party leadership, particularly over issues including restoration of Article 370, reservation, jobs for educated youth and political prisoners.

He had announced in August that he would resign from both the party and the Lok Sabha on November 3, days after NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah challenged him to resign and return to the people if he believed that voters had supported him personally.

Addressing Tuesday’s gathering, Ruhullah accused the NC of failing to honour the promises it had made during the election campaign.

The NC had presented itself as the guardian of the people’s dignity, he said.

“You said you were the guardians of Article 370. That dignity was buried on August 5, 2019,” he said.

Ruhullah said the party had persuaded him to contest the Lok Sabha election and that he had agreed after making it clear that he would stand with the party if it was genuinely committed to fighting for the dignity of the people.

Turning his attack towards Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Ruhullah said he had repeatedly made it clear that his fight was not merely for statehood but for constitutional protection and dignity.

He also recalled the promise of 200 units of free electricity and accused the government of failing to deliver on its commitments.

“People who lose chairs become unhappy, but here we are throwing away a chair and we are happy. The chair you are sitting on is a source of sadness for both you and us,” he said, referring to Omar.

Ruhullah said Omar did not need to put his cap and dignity at the feet of others to remain in power.

He alleged that after coming to power in 2024, Omar had said the party should not ask the BJP, which abrogated Article 370, for its restoration.

“We gave you strength to fight for dignity,” Ruhullah said.

He accused the government of intimidating students who had raised concerns over reservation and alleged that it had ignored the problems of daily wagers and young men in jails.

“You are only there because you are enjoying the CM’s protocol,” he said. “You have bargained with our dignity. We will bring you down from the throne.”

Ruhullah also accused the NC of having used him for electoral gains.

“You used me. My character had no deceit. The trust I earned in the parliamentary election, you used in the Assembly election to win,” he said.

“You used the wrong man for lies. I can neither be part of lies nor let them stand. During the election you lied to the people.”

Describing himself as the son of a martyr who had sacrificed his life for the people, Ruhullah said he had no desire to occupy the “throne”.

“I am not fighting this battle to become chief minister,” he said. “Give me honest young people, and we will take them to the office of chief minister.”

In a direct message to NC president Farooq Abdullah, he said: “Farooq Abdullah, tell your son to keep his British passport ready. People with honour have awakened.”

Ruhullah’s resignation marks a major break with the NC, with which he has been associated for more than two decades, and comes after months of public differences with the party leadership.

The NC leadership had until recently projected the possibility of reconciliation. Minister Altaf Kaloo had said that November 3 had not yet come and that the party would not let Ruhullah part ways.

There was no immediate reaction from the NC to Ruhullah’s resignation and his speech at the gathering.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Zahoor Hussain Bhat