J&K deputy CM visits estranged NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi

Srinagar, Jan 25 (PTI) National Conference (NC) leaders, including Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, visited the residence of the party’s estranged MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Saturday.

Choudhary was accompanied by Nasir Aslam Wani, who is an advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and NC MLA from Chadoora Ali Mohammad Dar.

“Deputy CM @Surinderch55 along with Advisor to CM @nasirsogami visited Budgam & met with Member Parliament @RuhullahMehdi at his residence today,” the NC said in a post on X.

A party leader said Choudhary and Wani were on an official tour of Budgam district, during which they visited the MP’s residence and met him.

“They interacted with Mehdi and had tea at his residence,” the leader said, without divulging details of the meeting.

Asked if the visit was because Mehdi was estranged from the NC or because the bypoll to the Budgam assembly constituency is due, the party leader said it had no connection to either of the two.

Speaking to reporters, Choudhary said, “I came here for the first time because he is not just a political leader but also a religious guru. I feel fortunate to have come here.”

Asked if the visit was connected to the Budgam bypoll, he said, “We came to Aga sahab’s home to meet him and have tea.”

Mehdi also said the visit was not related to elections.

Abdullah contested the assembly polls from two seats — Budgam and Ganderbal — and won both. Later, he vacated Budgam, necessitating the bypoll.

A war of words had broken out between Abdullah and Mehdi over the latter participating in an anti-reservation protest outside the chief minister’s residence here in December.

At a media interaction here on January 2, Abdullah said he expects Mehdi to hold a similar protest in Delhi for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood when the Lok Sabha is in session.

In a social media post on the same day, Mehdi accepted the challenge.

“I’ve been informed about an urge and desire to protest for statehood in Delhi. I AM READY to participate in such a protest, and invite those prioritising statehood to organise it. I will also try to organise support from at least more than 100 Hon’ble MPs.

“I believe for them there is no better time than January to organise it, when India’s Constitution ‘” the very document that enshrined our special status ‘” was adopted,” the MP had said in a post on X.

Before that, the NC had also criticised Mehdi for joining the protest and “providing a platform to its enemies”.

An official spokesperson said Deputy CM Choudhary, along with Wani and Mehdi, conducted a comprehensive tour of Budgam district.

Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Akshay Labroo, chief engineers and other senior officers of different departments were also present, he said.

Addressing a gathering, Choudhary said the government has undertaken a massive development programme with special focus on far-flung and neglected areas.

“We have already issued directions for fast pacing the initiatives meant for changing the socio-economic profile of people besides upgrading the basic infrastructure,” he said.

The deputy chief minister said the government is committed to fast-paced and sustained development with regular monitoring to ensure quality works.

“This has been done in accordance with the local needs and area-specific development,” he said.