Srinagar, Aug 25 (JKNS): Srinagar Lok Sabha member Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday said he would respond within a few days to National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s demand that he resign as MP and seek a fresh mandate from the electorate.
Speaking to reporters, as per news agency JKNS, Ruhullah stopped short of confirming whether he would resign but indicated that he was seriously considering the request.
“It is not possible that Doctor Sahib asks me for something and I don’t give it to him. It is not possible that I send him back empty-handed,” Ruhullah said.
He said Abdullah had made the request at an advanced age and that he did not want to refuse him without giving the matter due consideration.
“I will give an answer in a few days,” Ruhullah said.
The remarks came a day after Abdullah challenged the Srinagar MP to resign and return to the electorate if he believed his 2024 Lok Sabha victory was primarily due to his personal political standing.
“If you think people voted for you, resign and go back to them. We will see how many votes you get,” Abdullah had said.
The development comes amid growing public differences between Ruhullah and the National Conference leadership over the party’s political approach, particularly on issues concerning the restoration of Article 370, statehood and Jammu & Kashmir’s constitutional rights.
Abdullah had maintained that Ruhullah was free to raise the Article 370 issue in Parliament but questioned his approach to the matter.
He also stressed the importance of the party organisation and its workers during elections, maintaining that candidates contesting on the National Conference ticket receive the backing of the organisation.
Ruhullah is expected to clarify his position on the resignation demand in the coming days. (JKNS)
