Aga Ruhullah rejects reports on new party, to skip NC’s Jantar Mantar protest

Budgam,: National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday dismissed speculation about floating a new political party, saying the media appeared more eager than him to see such a development.
Speaking to reporters in Budgam, Ruhullah, said he has not formed any party yet. “It is the media that seems more desirous than me to form a new party. If you want to make a new party, do it, then I will see whether it is a good party and join it.”
On the National Conference’s proposed Jantar Mantar protest, Ruhullah reiterated that he would not participate, saying the people’s mandate was for the restoration of Article 370 and not merely statehood.
“I have made it clear that I am not joining the protest. Our responsibility is to fight for Article 370 because it is linked to our identity and dignity. People gave us the mandate for Article 370, not for statehood,” he said.
He alleged that shifting the political discourse towards statehood alone suited the BJP’s agenda.
“It is the BJP’s agenda that we forget everything else and demand only statehood. The last 70 years have shown that whatever has been snatched from us has never been returned. If we fail to learn from history, it will not be good,” he said.
Responding to a question on allegations of horse-trading and attempts by the BJP to engineer defections within the National Conference, Ruhullah said horse-trading had no place in a democracy, irrespective of the political party involved.
“Anyone indulging in horse-trading in a democracy is not justified. I am against horse-trading, no matter which party is involved. The BJP has normalised this practice, where people’s mandate is undermined through such means, and that is dangerous for democracy,” he said—(KNO)

Facts Only

* Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi is a Member of Parliament from Budgam.
* Ruhullah has not formed any political party.
* Ruhullah stated that the media appeared more desirous than him to form a new party.
* Ruhullah stated he would not participate in the National Conference’s proposed Jantar Mantar protest.
* Ruhullah asserted the people's mandate was for the restoration of Article 370, not merely statehood.
* Ruhullah claimed fighting for Article 370 is linked to identity and dignity.
* Ruhullah alleged that the demand for statehood suited the BJP’s agenda.
* Ruhullah stated horse-trading has no place in a democracy.
* Ruhullah asserted that the BJP normalized practices that undermine mandates through horse-trading.

Executive Summary

A National Conference Member of Parliament, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, addressed media speculation regarding the formation of a new political party, stating he has not formed any party. He suggested that the media appeared more eager to see a new party formation than he was. When questioned about the proposed Jantar Mantar protest, Ruhullah indicated he would not participate, asserting that the mandate was for the restoration of Article 370 rather than statehood. He further argued that fighting for Article 370 is linked to identity and dignity, as people gave a mandate for the former, not statehood. Ruhullah alleged that shifting the political discourse toward statehood alone suited the BJP's agenda, suggesting that the demand for statehood ignores historical context. In response to claims of horse-trading within the National Conference, he stated that such practices are unjustified in a democracy and condemned the BJP for normalizing these means of undermining mandates.

Full Take

The exchange reveals a tension between specific political demands and broader historical narratives regarding identity and political outcomes. Ruhullah’s positioning centers on prioritizing the restoration of Article 370 as fundamental to group identity over statehood, suggesting a conflict in how political history should be framed for contemporary demands. The assertion that shifting focus solely to statehood serves a particular agenda highlights a concern about discursive control—how the terms of political negotiation are defined and what historical context is allowed to shape present-day mandates. Furthermore, the direct rejection of horse-trading as legitimate in a democracy sets up a critique of manipulative political practices, framing them as inherently corrosive to democratic legitimacy regardless of which parties engage in them. The implicit pattern suggests that external political forces seek to streamline or redefine historical grievances into singular demands, potentially obscuring complex, multi-faceted claims for recognition and dignity. The core implication is the struggle over whose historical narrative dictates present-day political action and legitimate means of achieving goals.