Atiya Mujeeb
Budgam, July 14: National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi dismissed reports suggesting that he is planning to launch a new political party, stating that no such decision has been taken.
Speaking to reporters in Budgam, Ruhullah said there are no plans to float a new political outfit. He said the speculation is unfounded and added that if any new party is formed in the future, he would assess its vision and objectives before deciding whether to be associated with it.
Ruhullah also reiterated that he will not participate in the National Conference’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar. He said the party’s primary responsibility is to work for the restoration of Article 370, as the people had voted with that expectation, and not merely for the restoration of statehood.
He maintained that shifting the political focus solely to statehood diverts attention from the larger constitutional issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir. According to him, the demand for the restoration of constitutional rights should remain the central issue.
Responding to allegations of horse-trading and attempts to engineer defections within the National Conference, Ruhullah said such practices have no place in a democracy. He asserted that weakening the public mandate through political defections is detrimental to democratic values, irrespective of which political party is involved.
