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Political accusations and counter-accusations have intensified in Jammu and Kashmir following Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s resignation from the National Conference. On Wednesday, the National Conference levelled serious allegations against the BJP, accusing it of successfully executing its ‘Operation Lotus’ in Kashmir. NC MLA Salman Sagar alleged that the BJP had forced Ruhullah to quit the party.
At a press conference held at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Sagar was accompanied by Banihal MLA Sajjad Shaheen. Sagar said that Ruhullah had won the Lok Sabha elections on an NC ticket and described his departure from the party as extremely unfortunate. He alleged that Ruhullah had now joined hands with forces that had been trying to weaken the National Conference for the past 80-90 years.
Salman Sagar said that the BJP had earlier succeeded in inducting leaders such as Devinder Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Slathia into the party in Jammu and had now extended its ‘Operation Lotus’ to the Kashmir Valley. He claimed that the BJP’s alleged campaign to engineer defections among MPs and political parties across the country had now reached Kashmir.
The NC MLA also questioned the motives behind Ruhullah’s resignation, suggesting that he had used a pretext to distance himself from the party and that the real reasons behind his decision would emerge in due course. Sagar added that any leader joining the BJP would lose credibility in the eyes of the public.
Responding to Ruhullah’s remarks about Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Sagar said that the National Conference was not so weak that the entry or exit of a single leader could destabilise the party. He claimed that efforts to weaken the NC had been underway from Delhi since 1947.
Ruhullah betrayed the party and the people: Sajjad Shaheen
Meanwhile, MLA Sajjad Shaheen also criticised Ruhullah, describing his statement and the language he used at the rally as condemnable. He alleged that Ruhullah had betrayed not only the party but also his voters and the people of his constituency.
Reacting to the reported resentment among some NC MLAs over the recent Cabinet expansion, Salman Sagar said that the party was closely monitoring the developments. He claimed that all NC MLAs remained united and that any differences would be resolved within the next day or two. He added that the efforts of a few individuals would have no impact on either the party or the government.
BJP misled Ruhullah: To CM Surinder Chowdhary
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chowdhary on Wednesday accused the BJP of misleading Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and exploiting the developments surrounding him for political gains. He described the entire episode as political drama.
Describing Ruhullah as an honest and respectable person, Chowdhary alleged that the BJP was playing political games over the issue.
Referring to BJP leader Ram Madhav, the Deputy Chief Minister alleged that the BJP was attempting to exploit Ruhullah’s departure from the National Conference for its political benefit.
Chowdhary reiterated that Ruhullah was a respected political figure and suggested that he had been misled by the BJP, accusing the party of turning the developments into a political controversy.