Srinagar: Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi quit National Conference (NC) and resigned from his Srinagar parliamentary seat on Tuesday.
Mehdi made the announcement at a rally in Budgam to mark the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Syed Mehdi.
Ruhullah thus ended his 24-year association with the party.
“In exercise of the right conferred by Article 101(3)(b) of the Constitution of India, and in terms of Rule 240 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I hereby resign as the Member of Parliament representing the Srinagar Parliamentary Constituency of Jammu and Kashmir in the Eighteenth Lok Sabha, with immediate effect. This resignation is voluntary and genuine, and is tendered of my own free will. I request that it be accepted,” read Mehdi’s resignation letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
Ruhullah signed his resignation letter at the massive gathering and said a copy would be handed over to NC president Farooq Abdullah by Mohammad Ashraf Mattoo, whose 17-year-old son, Tufail Ahmad Mattoo, was killed in a tear gas shelling incident in 2010 when Omar Abdullah was the chief minister.
Ruhullah had recently become one of the most vocal critics of the state government, accusing his party leadership of moving away from its electoral promises, particularly on reservations, Article 370 and restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Ruhullah launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Omar and party president Farooq, accusing the son and father of betraying people’s aspirations for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional rights.
His resignation from the NC and Parliament is a big blow to the ruling party, which already faces a revolt from several of its legislators.
Around 25 out of 41 party MLAs have issued a 14-day deadline to the leadership, with a list of demands, including a complete cabinet overhaul and replacement of all eight current ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary.
