‘Omar Abdullah’s surrender before BJP cost him credibility, betrayed people for chair’: Aga Ruhullah

In an exclusive interview with Zee News, outgoing Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi launched a sharp attack on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the National Conference (NC) leadership, accusing them of betraying the party's 2024 mandate, abandoning their ideology and compromising Kashmir's self-respect to remain in power.

Amid an escalating internal revolt within the ruling National Conference, Ruhullah alleged that Omar Abdullah had surrendered before the BJP and failed to honour the promises made to the people during the Assembly elections. He described the party's current crisis as one created by its own leadership, arguing that the Chief Minister had abandoned the very political path that helped him secure power.

“The crisis is of its own making, of this person’s (Omar Abdullah) own making,” Ruhullah said, adding that he had pointed out the correct path from the beginning, the same path Omar had followed during the election campaign.

According to Ruhullah, Omar used that approach to secure the Chief Minister's chair but later moved away from it. Had he continued on that path, he argued, the present rebellion would not have taken place, and even if some leaders had revolted, society would have rejected them.

“Omar has brought down his own credibility so much himself; he has himself surrendered in front of the BJP,” Ruhullah alleged.

He said the Chief Minister's political position had weakened to such an extent that the ongoing crisis was no longer generating a strong reaction among people. “No one is happy, and no one is angry,” he said.

‘They deceived the people and me as well’

Ruhullah said the National Conference had failed to fulfil the promises made in its manifesto, arguing that the party's leadership was collectively responsible for the commitments made during the election campaign.

“What was in the manifesto, they didn’t fulfil it,” he said, adding that the promises were not his alone but had also been made by the Chief Minister and his ministers.

“They deceived the people and they deceived me as well,” he alleged.

Explaining his decision to distance himself from the party leadership, Ruhullah said he could not continue supporting what he considered a betrayal of the public mandate merely to protect his political position.

The choice, he said, was between continuing to support the leadership or separating his path from it and reconnecting with the people, even if that meant sacrificing his position.

“For that, even if the chair had to be sacrificed, I will,” he said.

Ruhullah maintained that his intervention during the 2024 political crisis had helped the National Conference overcome a difficult phase and secure its position. He said he was now facing the consequences of that decision, but insisted that the present turmoil should never have happened.

He also questioned attempts by a section of party leaders to destabilise the government, saying the elected administration had been given a five-year term and should be allowed to complete it. He alleged that some individuals, driven by personal grievances and ambitions, were trying to undermine the government for their own interests.

Article 370, BJP and the 2024 mandate

Ruhullah said the BJP wanted to divide and fragment the political mandate in Jammu and Kashmir to normalise its decisions. He argued that the National Conference had been expected to emerge as a strong force against those decisions and prevent the people's mandate from being weakened.

He said a large section of voters had supported the NC in 2024 primarily as a vote against the BJP, and claimed that his own efforts had contributed to that outcome.

“I will say the same thing again, this deception, they gave it to me too, the National Conference, and to the people as well. I swallowed that deception. Yes, this is a mistake, I want to correct that same mistake,” he said.

He also criticised the party's position on Article 370, pointing to what he described as contradictory messages from its leadership. Ruhullah referred to Farooq Abdullah's remarks that the fight was not for Article 370 and that he should pursue his political battle elsewhere.

He alleged that while he was labelled indisciplined or accused of being a BJP agent for raising these issues, the party leadership itself had bowed before the BJP.

“In that confusion, a fight cannot be fought, a result cannot be brought out,” he said.

‘Politics without principles and character is disgrace’

Ruhullah also questioned the role of family-based politics within the National Conference, alleging that dynastic considerations had allowed certain individuals to receive repeated opportunities without demonstrating merit.

“Based on familism, someone got so much opportunity. Now it is known that apart from familism, there is no merit at all. When there is no merit, they (Abdullahs) shouldn’t even have a place there,” he said.

Rejecting suggestions that his stand could damage his political career, Ruhullah said he was prepared to make personal sacrifices to defend his principles.

“If for this cause my career is getting ruined, let it be,” he said, adding that he would be willing to sacrifice his career repeatedly if that was necessary to protect his beliefs.

“If politics has no principles and character, it should be kicked away,” he said.

He argued that those describing his decision as political suicide were judging it only through the lens of a political career. For him, he said, a career without principles was a “disgrace”.

‘NC surrendered before Delhi and traded our self-respect’

Ruhullah accused the National Conference leadership of disappointing the people by once again surrendering before Delhi and compromising Kashmir's honour and self-respect.

He alleged that instead of challenging the Centre, Omar Abdullah had repeatedly reprimanded and insulted Kashmiris, including over their attire, while failing to speak out against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Drawing a distinction between his political fight and the grievances of rebel legislators, Ruhullah said he had no interest in aligning with leaders whose anger was driven by demands for ministerial positions or better offices.

“This is a fight of principles. Here principles are needed, character is needed, those who are angry out of greed are not needed,” he said.

He maintained that his disagreement was with everyone who had abandoned the party's ideology, irrespective of their family background or position within the organisation.

Ruhullah's political future amid NC turmoil

On his future political plans, Ruhullah said he could contest a by-election as an independent candidate if the people wanted him to do so. However, he has not yet decided whether to form a new political party.

His demand, he said, was for the National Conference to return to its original ideology, correct its conduct and bring an end to the internal confrontation.

The interview comes as the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference faces one of its most serious internal crises since forming the government. The turmoil intensified following a contentious Cabinet expansion, with reports suggesting that a group of 18-21 disgruntled MLAs had met secretly and submitted a memorandum of demands to party president Dr Farooq Abdullah.

Adding to the political uncertainty, Ruhullah has announced that he will resign from Parliament on November 3, the date on which his father was martyred in 2000. The Srinagar MP, a prominent Shia cleric and a key figure in the National Conference's 2024 electoral success, has emerged as one of the strongest critics of the party leadership.

His announcement has raised the prospect of further dissent within the party, with the possibility of other legislators following his lead adding to the pressure on the Abdullah leadership.