Rahullah not invited, Srinagar MP questions party’s ‘lack of intent’
WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: A two-day Working Committee meeting of the National Conference began on Thursday at the party headquarters, Nawa-e-Subha, in Srinagar, with senior leadership engaging in wide-ranging discussions on organisational restructuring, governance performance and the party’s future political strategy.
The meeting was convened by party president Dr Farooq Abdullah and was attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also the party’s Vice-President, along with senior leaders including Mubarak Gul, Sakina Itoo, Hasnain Masoodi and other members of the Working Committee. The session began around 11 am amid heightened political activity in the Union Territory.
Sources said that detailed deliberations were held on internal party affairs, public issues, organisational restructuring and the political road ahead. The committee also discussed the party’s recent electoral performance, including the Budgam Assembly election, where the NC lost to the People’s Democratic Party candidate Aga Muntazir, triggering an internal assessment of weaknesses and corrective measures.
The Working Committee, sources said, also reviewed the party’s grassroots reach and functioning of its district and block-level units, with several members stressing the need to strengthen local-level presence and reconnect with voters at the ground level. Emphasis was laid on restoring organisational discipline, improving coordination between party office-bearers and elected representatives, and adopting a more aggressive outreach programme.
Chief Minister’s Advisor Nasir Sogami said the meeting was still underway and would continue through Friday before final decisions are taken.
“The session is in progress and all members are present. Tomorrow will also be devoted entirely to discussions. After that, resolutions will be framed and decisions will be finalised. Some matters are still under internal discussion and will be communicated later. This is how the Working Committee has always functioned,” Sogami said.
He added that the meeting was being held after a long gap and was part of the party’s regular organisational exercise. “After the Working Committee session, the media is always briefed in detail,” he said.
MLA Salman Sagar expressed confidence that the deliberations would produce tangible outcomes for both the party and governance.
“I believe this meeting will certainly be beneficial for the party. Important measures to strengthen the organisation will be finalised. If there are issues in governance, first-hand feedback will be taken from MLAs and senior leaders. After dedicating the entire day tomorrow to these discussions, I am confident that a positive outcome will emerge,” he said.
Sagar further stressed that organisational strength directly impacts governance delivery, stating that a strong party framework at the grassroots level enables better implementation of public welfare measures.
Senior leader Sakina Itoo said that the Working Committee meetings are a routine exercise and are held every six months to assess the party’s health and performance.
“The Working Committee meets every six months and discussions primarily focus on the party. Issues related to the party’s foundation, structure and the responsibilities of office-bearers are discussed in detail. That is the main purpose of the Working Committee,” she said.
Several leaders from Jammu province also participated in the meeting. However, the absence of Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah drew attention and triggered speculation within political circles.
While some NC leaders initially claimed that Ruhullah had been invited, the party’s Provincial President later stated that no formal invitation had been issued to him, leading to contradictory statements from within the party.
Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of day-one discussions of the working committee meet, NC leader and advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Nasir Aslam Wani, confirmed that Mehdi had not been invited to the meeting chaired by NC president Farooq Abdullah at the party headquarters, Nawa-i-Subah.
“No, he was not invited,” Wani said, without stating any reasons.
Mehdi has been estranged from the party over the last few months and has openly criticised the functioning of the NC-led government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier in the day, Mehdi, while addressing mediapersons in Ganderbal, said he has been a permanent member of the NC’s working committee, but has no information regarding the developments in the meeting as he did not receive an invitation.
“I do not know which meeting is going on, and what it is about. If there is a working committee meeting, then I am a permanent member of the working committee. It is for the first time since 2002 that I have not received an invitation. I came to know about the meeting through media,” Mehdi said.
The MP, said to be estranged from his party for some time now, said he had visited Ganderbal — part of the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which Mehdi represents — on the invitation of locals to discuss some issues which needed to be raised with the administration.
Asserting that his differences with the National Conference (NC) were over the party’s lack of intent to fulfil the promises made during 2024 assembly polls, Mehdi — an influential Shia leader — said he was neither maintaining a distance from the NC nor planning to float a new political outfit.
“My fight is for principles, not for the chair. If I have disagreements with the party, it is over principles and nothing else. The disagreement is about the failure to do what we had to in one year. My disagreement is not about launching a new party,” he said.
Mehdi said a crucial promise over which the NC sought votes in 2024 was to push for restoration of the “constitutional guarantees” under the Article 370 which was revoked by the Centre on August 5, 2019.
“That was the biggest reason for the mandate. We got the mandate to work on our political agenda, to look for allies across the country and create a force to seek the restoration of our protections and constitutional guarantees. Our political agenda comprised the issue of political prisoners, we got votes for that. We have to fulfil those promises,” he added.
Stressing that his party should not “dilute its cause”, Mehdi said the NC has to make efforts for implementation of its political agenda.
“We cannot dilute our fight. We cannot dilute our cause by using the BJP’s language by limiting the fight to the restoration of statehood. If we are diluting that cause, we are treading the path of the BJP. We cannot betray the people,” he said.
He said if the NC does abide by its principles, and does not implement the promises made in its election manifesto, “they will lose the trust of the people, and it will be the biggest loss”.
He asserted that the people put their trust on the mainstream in the 2024 elections, and if there is a “betrayal or failure”, that trust would be lost forever.
“This trust has come after a huge (trust) deficit and if there is a betrayal or failure from this side, this trust will be last forever. Then it will not be about a particular party, but the whole establishment and the representative system.
“I do not want this trust be broken at any cost. If the party wants to break it, if it wants to stay away from the principles, then it can take that path. I will not abandon my principles, and this trust that has been earned,” he added.
Asked about his ultimatum to the NC-led government to resolve the reservation issue before the winter session of Parliament ends, the MP said if the issue remained unaddressed, he would be compelled to stand with the students.
“The protest is not against the party. If they say it is about ego, I will step back from the issue. Let them meet the students and resolve the issue. Even if you make the students go against me, it is not a problem, but resolve the issue within a month.
“It is a matter of urgency, and if the issue remains unaddressed even after a month, I will be compelled to support the students and protest against the government till the issue is resolved,” he said.
