Ruhullah hits out at NC leadership, accuses it of treating J-K as ‘family estate’

National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has hit out at the party leadership, accusing it of treating Jammu and Kashmir as a “family estate” and betraying the promises made to people during the elections.

In a strongly worded statement on Friday, Mehdi said he would resign from the National Conference and his Lok Sabha seat on November 3, accusing the party leadership of expecting people to vote for it but then “know their place”.

He said the party had sought power on promises including the restoration of Article 370, the release of prisoners and the protection of people's rights, but had failed to honour them.

“They take us for fools who cannot tell a broken promise from a political necessity,” the statement said, adding that the party lectures people on realpolitik when asked to fulfil its manifesto commitments.

"We refuse to lend our name to this humiliation. There is no fixing this rot from within,” it said.

The statement said Mehdi had won his Lok Sabha seat on promises made to the people and would surrender it rather than become an accomplice to their betrayal.

Mehdi will address people at Behisht-e-Zehra Park in Budgam on November 3, on the death anniversary of his father Aga Syed Mehdi.