Atiya Mujeeb
Srinagar, August 25: A day after National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah asked Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi to resign from the Lok Sabha and seek a fresh mandate, the MP on Tuesday said he would respond to the demand in the coming days.
Speaking to reporters, Ruhullah said he had great respect for Farooq Abdullah and would not want to disappoint him.
“It is not possible that Doctor Sahib asks me for something and I do not give it to him. I cannot send him back empty-handed,” Ruhullah said.
He added that he would give his response within a few days, without making it clear whether he would accept the demand to resign.
Farooq Abdullah had challenged Ruhullah to resign from Parliament and return to the people if he believed his victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha election was mainly because of his own political standing.
The remarks come amid growing differences between Ruhullah and the National Conference leadership over several political issues, including the restoration of Article 370, statehood and the constitutional rights of Jammu and Kashmir.
Farooq Abdullah has said that Ruhullah is free to raise the Article 370 issue in Parliament, but questioned his approach. He also stressed the importance of the party organisation and workers in helping candidates win elections on the National Conference ticket.
