National Conference Alleges BJP Orchestrated MP Aga Syed Ruhullah's Exit

The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday described the exit of Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah from the party and the Lok Sabha as a fresh attempt to disempower the public, comparing it to past political upheavals.

Reactions and Allegations

NC leader and legislator Sajad Shaheen accused Mr. Ruhullah of duplicity and a dismal parliamentary tenure, pointing to historical political crises in 1953 and 1984. Mr. Shaheen questioned whether BJP leader Ram Madhav's statements claiming blessings from Mr. Ruhullah were a coincidence. Another NC leader, Salman Sagar, claimed the BJP successfully implemented 'Operation Lotus' with the MP's help. Mr. Sagar defended the party's stance on Article 370 and 35A, stating that abandoning these demands would be political suicide, and criticized Mr. Ruhullah for handing his resignation to Muhammad Ashraf Mattoo, the father of deceased teenager Tufail Mattoo. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary also alleged that Mr. Ruhullah worked under BJP direction, citing comments made by Mr. Madhav.

Context

Political friction in Jammu and Kashmir often involves debates over regional autonomy, historical legal provisions like Article 370, and relations between local political parties and the central government. Major regional parties frequently accuse national opponents of engineering internal defections to weaken local political setups.