National Conference president Farooq Abdullah hit back at party MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi over his recent statements, asking him to resign from the Lok Sabha and return to the electorate if he believes his victory was secured on the strength of his personal support.
Reacting to Ruhullah’s public positions, Abdullah said the Srinagar MP was free to raise issues such as restoration of Article 370 in Parliament, but questioned his approach to the matter.
“If he thinks Article 370 can be restored, he should take up the issue in Parliament,” Abdullah said.
The NC chief also challenged Ruhullah to test his claim of having secured the Lok Sabha mandate through his own political standing.
“If you think people voted for you, resign and go back to them. We will see how many votes you get,” he said.
Abdullah said party members were expected to stand by decisions taken by the organisation, particularly during elections, and cited the Budgam poll to underline the importance of party discipline.
He said NC workers could not reasonably have been expected to campaign against a candidate officially nominated by the party.
On speculation about differences within the NC, Abdullah said disagreements were common in political organisations and should not automatically be construed as a revolt against the leadership.
He also maintained that the party and the government have separate roles, saying that as NC president he did not want to unnecessarily interfere in the administration.
Abdullah recalled the sacrifices made by generations of NC leaders and workers, saying the organisation had endured because of the commitment of its grassroots cadre.
Asked about Ruhullah’s political direction, Abdullah advised the MP to seek guidance from the Quran, while reiterating his assessment that he was presently taking the “wrong path”. (KNS)
