Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has asked Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi to contest the Budgam bypoll following the exchange of words between the two at a party meeting. The seat has fallen vacant after Abdullah, who had contested from two constituencies in Jammu & Kashmir Assembly polls, quit Budgam while retaining the traditional Ganderbal bastion.
It was learnt that NC vice president Omar Abdullah and Mehdi had a faceoff at the ruling National Conference’s marathon Working Committee meeting early this week at Nawa-e-Subah headquarters in Srinagar. It forced Mehdi to leave the meeting despite the intervention of NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Later, sources close to Mehdi confirmed that he was approached by some leaders close to Abdullah to contest the poll. But it is unlikely Mehdi, who represents Srinagar Lok Sabha Constituency, will relinquish the seat. The preparation for the by-election was underway, but may face a delay now following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Mehdi has enraged the party leadership, particularly the Chief Minister, for positioning himself as an 'internal watchdog'. His criticism of the Omar Abdullah-led government for adopting a reconciliatory approach with New Delhi on the political aspirations, including restoration of Article 370 and statehood, has put him at odds with the party leadership.
The two demands have been the core agenda of the party in their poll manifesto before the J&K Legislative Assembly last year. In the meeting, Mehdi said that the party has ‘digressed’ on these issues after securing a majority (42 seats) in the polls, drawing a response from the NC Vice President.
He has been favouring a protest led by CM Omar Abdullah alongside his legislators and MPs in New Delhi to press the Narendra Modi-led government for the restoration of statehood. The relationship between the two leaders soured after Mehdi stood in protest alongside open merit students outside the residence of Abdullah’s Gupkar residence in Srinagar seeking ‘rationalisation’ of J&K reservation policy in December last year. Ruhullah had told ETV Bharat that the Chief Minister had cut off communication with him since then.
But the meeting marked the first time since the protest that the two came together in the high-powered committee, which is meant for setting the party’s core agenda. It was learnt that Ruhullah called out legislators for raising issues of their constituencies in the forum.
Mehdi could not be contacted for his comment, while NC leaders avoided comment. Initially, Farooq Abdullah intervened, trying to defuse the tensions, noting the party is facing a tough phase, pointing to the 1950s and 1983-84, when Jammu and Kashmir’s oldest political party splintered.
But that failed to calm the duo, with Mehdi reportedly offering to resign from the Parliament. In response, Omar taunted him to contest the by-poll from Budgam to join the government if he is so concerned about political aspirations.
“Omar told the meeting that people are more concerned about their daily sufferings. Political aspirations follow later,” a leader added. Notwithstanding the verbal spat, the meeting continued and passed resolutions, including that on the restoration of Special Status and statehood.
