In politics, those in power are often pragmatic🐎 and adept at retaining authority under any circumstances. The Opposition, on the other hand, tends to adopt the language of rebellion. But what happens when a politician in power speaks in a manner tha🍸t their own party perceives as rebellious?
This is the case with Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, a Member of Parliament from the Srinagar constituency. Mehdi believes that his party, the National Conference (NC), is reneging on its manifesto promises. His disagreements with his party have𒀰 become the subject of discussion in Kashmir’s political circles. The core of these disagreements centres on the restoration of Article 370 and, more recentꦦly, J&K’s reservation policy.
🐲On December 23, Mehdi led a protest outside the Srinagar residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. The protest was against changes in the reservation policy announced last year by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration. Students are demanding that reserved seats be reduced from over 60 per cent to 25 per cent.
It was an unusual protest because Mehdi, a member of the ruling party, was protesting against his own government. He was joined by several Opposition leaders, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Ur Rehman Parra, who Mehdi defeated in the parliamentary election; Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh of the Awami Ittehad Party, PDP's Iltija Mufti♏, and former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu.
Not surprisingly, Mehdi's protest did not go well with many of his party members. At a press conference at the NC headquarters in Srinagar, the party's youth wing president and Hazratbal MLA Salman Sagar said, “No one is bigger than the party.” He added, “It was a gathering of our adversaries. Unfortunately, one of our MPs was present there, giving them an opportunity to exploit the situation.” However, NC Chief Spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq provided a nuanced take. “Differing opinions don’t mean rebellion,” he told Outlook. “The National Conference is 🔯a democratic party where members are free to express their views. Speculating about internal issues distracts from addressing the real concerns of the people.”
Since August 2019, the 47-year-old Mehdi, an influential Shia leader and cleric, has rebranded his political image. He has been the most vocal NC leader in critiﷺcising the abrogation of Article 370. He had served tไhree terms in the J&K Legislative Assembly from 2002-18 before being elected as an MP in June this year. He has consistently maintained that the elections were not about developmental issues but about restoring J&K's dignity.
Analysts say the NC’s strong performance in the assembly elections was largely due to its consistent stance on Article 370, which attracted both traditional non-voters and first-෴time voters. Mehdi was a key figure in the NC’s election rallies and campaigns, particularly in the Kashmir valley.
Gowhar Geelani, a Kashmir-based journalist and author of Kashmir: Rage and Reason, said, “Mehdi wants his leadership to take an unambiguous stance against the steps taken in August 2019 and not solel🌌y reꦆly on the legal fight. He kept the pro-Kashmir political narrative alive in his campaigns and speeches, which benefitted his party in the last elections.” He added, “Now, he is feeling let down as his voter base is asking questions of him. They placed their faith in him and voted for his party. It is a difficult terrain for him, that’s why he isn’t silent.”
The restoration of Article 370 and statehood were major promises in the NC's manifesto and central themes of its election rallies. After emerging as the single largest party in the elections held after a decade and forming the government, the NC now appears to be prioritising the restoration of statehood. On Article 370, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stated that hopജing for restoration of the Article from those [BJP] who took it away would be “foolish".
In a , Mehdi said that Abdullah is in danger of being seen by the Kashmiris as “Delhi’s representative”. The rift between Mehdi and Abdullah has raised concerns about the unity within the NC and whether this will affect the NC and to what 🅷extent. Ahmad Ayaz, a Srinagar-based political analyst pointed out, “Mehdi's rebellion could create a ripple effect among voters who share his sentiments, especially those who feel disillusioned with the NC's perceived compromises. It may fragment the party's traditional support base and weaken its position in the upcoming elections, particularly in coᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚnstituencies where Mehdi has significant influence.” However, Ayaz noted that the extent of the impact depends on whether Mehdi's dissent grows into a larger movement or remains isolated.
Since becoming chief minister, Abdullah, a fierce critic of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during elections, has softened his tone toward the BJP and seems to be on a reconciliation mission. Ayaz calls this a pragmatic move in the current political climate, where the restoration of statehood might appear more achievable than autonomy. “For longtime supporters, it may feel like a betray🎀al of the party’s historic stance and promises,” he added.
Mehdi's political behaviour has been hard for locals to read. For many on social media, he’s seen as “the voice of the people,” though many remain skeptical. Fiza, a local resident, said, “In politics, nothing can be said for certain. But given the history of the National Conference, which has played with people’s sentiments for decades, this could be a strategy to keep both ‘Koshur’ (Kashmiri) and Modi ji in the loop. Omar will act as BJP’s good boy, while Mehdi keeps Kashmiri sentiment alive.” Another prominent political commentator said that during the tenure of Sheikh Abdullah and l🍌ater, Farooq Abdullah, such public dissent within the NC would have been unthinkable due to the party’s overwhelming support at the time. “Omar is not a strong leader, and while the party holds a majority, it stands on shaky ground due to its inability to fulfil promises.” He added, “There’s no doubt Mehdi has a solid base and a distinct identity within the party—but all he seems to be doing is building a star image for himself.”
