MP Ruhullah’s exit from NC a success of BJP, attempt to disempower people like in 1953: NC leaders

Ruling National Conference (NC) on Tuesday (November 4, 2026) said the exit of Member of Parliament MP) Aga Syed Ruhullah from the party and the Lok Sabha seat was “a fresh attempt to disempower people of J&K” and termed it as ‘Operation Lotus’, a phrase used for the BJP.

“We have witnessed attempts to disempower people and erode the political setup in 1953 and 1984 in J&K. It seems like a repetition. Is BJP’s Ram Madav’s statement on Mr. Ruhullah and claiming ‘ashirwad’ (blessing) a coincidence? Mr. Ruhullah needs to clarify it. He owes his existence to the NC,” said NC leader and legislator Sajad Shaheen.

Mr. Shaheen was referred to 1953, when the NC founder, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, was arrested in Srinagar and 1984, when the NC was split. He also accused Mr. Ruhullah of duplicity for “not raising his voice against the Lieutenant Governor and the BJP over issues like stalling reservation rationalisation”.

“His tenure as the MP has been dismal. The Parliament is the highest platform, and he betrayed the party as well as the electorate by not raising their issues,” said Mr. Shaheen.

Another NC leader and legislator, Salman Sagar, said the BJP succeeded in Mr. Ruhullah’s exit from the NC and implemented the “Operation Lotus” with his help.

Rejecting Mr. Ruhullah’s statement that the NC was “abandoning the issue of Article 370 and 35A”, Mr. Sagar said, “Our struggle started in 1931. It will be a political suicide to abandon Article 370 and 35A. We are custodian of these demands.”

Mr. Sagar said it was “politicisation of martyrs when Mr. Ruhullah handed over his resignation to Muhammad Ashraf Mattoo, the father of the deceased teenager Tufail Mattoo”. “Whether the martyrs of 1931 or afterwards, we respect all. Why is it that Mr. Ruhullah did not visit these martyrs after winning the Parliament elections?” said Mr. Sagar.

He said Mr. Ruhullah has an ego issue with J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. “Instead of resigning, Mr. Ruhullah should have raised his concerns within the organisational structure and engaged with party stakeholders. The NC is not so weak that the coming or going of a person will impact it,” said Mr. Sagar.

On the recent meeting of around 20 NC MLAs criticising the NC leadership, Mr. Sagar said, “We are all colleagues. Within two to three days, the party will address it. A few people who tried to do it will not succeed. These MLAs will never part ways with the party. Though we are aware of agencies playing their role and they will not succeed,” said Mr. Sagar.

He also took exception to Mr. Ruhullah “demeaning words against NC leadership”. “It was a rowdy level language,” he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary also took a swipe at Mr. Ruhullah. “What BJP national vice-president Ram Madhav had stated was proof that Mr. Ruhullah was working under the BJP’s direction,” said Mr. Choudhary.

Jammu and Kashmir / Jammu and Kashmir National Conference / Srinagar