Even as the Jammu and Kashmir Government resumed functioning from Jammu following the opening of the Darbar Move in the winter capital on Monday, all eyes are now on central Kashmir’s Budgam district, where rebel National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha member from Srinagar, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, is set to resign from the party as well as his parliamentary seat during a public gathering at Behisht-e-Zehra Park today.
The gathering is being organised to mark the death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi.
“Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi is not going to reconsider his decision to resign from the National Conference, contrary to reports carried by several news outlets today. We advise the public to pay no heed to such rumours,” Mehdi’s office posted on social media.
The move has triggered political speculation across Jammu and Kashmir, with the possibility of a by-election in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency emerging as a major talking point.
“There is no question of backing down from the resignation. If there is a by-election for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in the future, that will also be considered. The MLAs who are protesting within the NC have their own interests. They contacted me previously, but in the current situation, no talks are taking place. I am going to resign myself and have not personally asked anyone to resign,” Aga Ruhullah Mehdi said.
Ruhullah has maintained that his decision stems from ideological differences with the NC leadership and what he describes as the party’s failure to fulfil key electoral promises, including the restoration of Article 370, protection of constitutional rights, addressing concerns over reservation policies and securing the release of prisoners.
If he formally resigns from the Lok Sabha and his resignation is accepted by the Speaker, the Srinagar parliamentary seat will fall vacant, potentially necessitating a by-election within the timeframe prescribed under the existing legal provisions.
The prospect of a fresh election has fuelled speculation over whether Ruhullah would re-enter the electoral fray as an Independent candidate. If he decides to contest, the principal contest is likely to be between him and the National Conference.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ruhullah won the Srinagar seat with 3,56,866 votes, defeating PDP candidate Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, who secured 1,68,450 votes. Ruhullah won by a margin of 1,88,416 votes.
A fresh electoral contest could present a different political landscape, particularly if Ruhullah enters the fray without the organisational backing of the NC. The National Conference would face the challenge of retaining the seat, while other political parties could also seek to capitalise on the emerging situation.
The gathering is also expected to offer clarity on Ruhullah’s future political course. He has maintained that his decision is driven by political and ideological differences rather than personal grievances or dissatisfaction over being denied a party position.
Ruhullah has also opposed any attempt to destabilise the elected government through horse-trading, maintaining that the NC-led government should be allowed to complete its full five-year term.
The developments surrounding the gathering are likely to have significant political implications, with the future of the Srinagar parliamentary seat and Ruhullah’s next political move set to remain under close scrutiny.
It will be interesting to see whether Ruhullah can emerge as a credible political alternative in Kashmir, where all anti-NC parties suffered a crushing defeat in the 2024 Assembly elections.
