Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Tuesday resigned from his Lok Sabha seat and quit the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) during a public gathering in Budgam.

The announcement came on the 26th death anniversary of his father, Aga Mehdi. A large number of supporters gathered at Behesht-e-Zehra Park in Budgam to attend the event.

Ruhullah had actively campaigned for the NC during the 2024 Assembly elections. However, he later became one of the first leaders to openly challenge his own government. He accused it of failing to fulfil its poll promises on reservations, Article 370 and statehood.

He also led a protest outside Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's residence in Gupkar, triggering a rift with the party leadership. NC leaders subsequently challenged him to resign from his Lok Sabha seat, arguing that the seat belonged to the party.

Ruhullah also refused to campaign for the NC candidate in Budgam, a constituency he had represented three times. The party eventually lost the seat to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Aga Syed Muntazir, a close relative of Ruhullah. Omar Abdullah had vacated the constituency after retaining Ganderbal following his victory from both seats in the 2024 elections.

Ruhullah is a three-time former MLA from Budgam and has also served as a minister. He won the Assembly seat in three consecutive elections between 2002 and 2014. In 2024, he contested the Lok Sabha election from Srinagar and secured a comfortable victory.

His father, Aga Mehdi, was a Congress leader who died in a terror attack. After his father's death, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah encouraged the young Ruhullah to join the NC and contest his first election.

Amid growing differences, NC president Farooq Abdullah had asked the 50-year-old leader in August to quit the party, resign as an MP and contest elections independently.

“Many people have left the NC in the past, today they stand nowhere, while the NC is still there. People have given huge sacrifices for the party. Aga Ruhullah Mehdi should resign from the party and his seat and contest elections again,” Farooq Abdullah had said.

Jammu and Kashmir minister Javed Ahmed Rana had said on Saturday that Ruhullah's departure would not affect the party. He maintained that the NC government under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah remained strong.

“If Aga Sahib decides to leave, he will leave alone. Why would his exit affect the party? The party will remain united,” he said.

Rana also rejected reports of internal differences following the recent cabinet expansion.

“The party, under the leadership of Farooq Sahib, and the government under CM Omar Sahib remain strong,” he said.

“I say with full conviction that there is no resentment. The J&K National Conference is strong under the leadership of Dr Farooq Abdullah and the government under CM Omar Abdullah is also strong like a rock,” he added.