Knives out in National Conference as Altaf echoes Ruhullah, Omar in firefighting mode

With his one-year-old govt facing heat from within the NC over “failures” to fulfil political pledges, Omar reaches out to old guard, claiming a “difference of sky and earth” between Mian Altaf and Ruhullah.

omar abdullah, national conference, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Syed Ruhullah Mehdi,

While Omar Abullah and the NC have been brushing aside Ruhullah's barbs, Altaf's broadside has worried the party. (Express photo)

Less than a fortnight after the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government marked its first year in office in Jammu and Kashmir, the rumblings of discontent have got louder in the ruling party.

Last Sunday, senior NC leader and Anantnag-Rajouri MP, Mian Altaf Ahmad, seemed to echo the party’s Srinagar MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on the issue of the Omar government’s performance, saying that it has failed to fulfil the party’s political promises and that an improvement in governance is required.

While Ruhullah, 48, has been at odds with Omar on a range of issues over the last year, this was the first time since the formation of the NC government on October 16, 2024 that Altaf, 68, targeted the Chief Minister.

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Altaf’s dissent assumes significance as he is one of the NC’s stalwarts, whose sway transcends the geographical divisions of Kashmir and Jammu. A spiritual leader, Altaf also holds considerable influence over the Gujjar and Pahari tribals across the Union Territory – from Kangan to Kupwara, and Rajouri to Poonch.

Altaf’s critical appraisal of the Omar government’s one year may fuel similar voices of discontent from other leaders of the NC’s old guard, which is seen to be upset for “being sidelined” in recent years. Several veteran NC leaders, who have been loyal to party president Farooq Abdullah, feel that they have been marginalised in both the party and the government, with younger leaders being “preferred in their affairs” by Omar, Farooq’s son.

While Omar and the NC have been brushing aside Ruhullah’s barbs, Altaf’s broadside has worried the party.

“As far as the government is concerned and the political issues of Jammu and Kashmir… it is true that there is no progress on them,” Altaf said at an event in Srinagar, organised by a local media group, even as he advised Omar to think before talking. “As far as governance is concerned, the people in the government, no doubt they will have to improve their performance. If I say to them that you are absolutely fine, everything is going on fine here, then I would be betraying Omar Abdullah Sahib as well.”

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He also went after the NC’s emerging leadership under Omar, which has been in the NC old guard’s crosshairs, saying “And his team of ministers, it is the first duty of a CM to see his team. If his team is good, honest, then it sends a signal to the administration as well. So, he has to see the issues there as well.”

Altaf said he was not satisfied with the government’s performance in tackling unemployment in J&K too. “My point is that this government should have referred all the (job) vacancies (to the recruitment agencies) in the first week of coming to power. The recruitment has to be transparent,” he said.

Stung by Altaf’s outburst, the CM quickly swung into action in a bid to assuage his concerns, calling him a “fatherly figure”.

Speaking to reporters Monday, Omar said he called Altaf immediately after reading his statement. “I respect him (Altaf) a lot. He is a senior party leader and I asked him about it (his statement)… He said ‘it was not my intention and somethings that have been reported, I have not said’…” the CM said, adding that he respects Altaf’s counsel and requested him to talk to him directly and not through the media.

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However, on Ruhullah’s criticism, Omar said, “I will not talk about him (Ruhullah). About whom are you talking about? Who are you comparing?There is a difference of sky and earth between Mian Altaf Sahib and him (Ruhullah).”

Ruhullah hit back at Omar, saying it was “unfortunate” that the CM was making it a “personal fight”. “Let’s keep the personal fights for later. We are in existential crisis right now. Our issues are bigger than the personal ego of some,” he said. “Ruhullah is not important. We have thousand of youth in jail, does he (Omar) know their addresses. (Article) 370 is the fight for our existence. It is the promise of National Conference (made in the) last election. In the past one year, where did we barter it in shawls and bouquets… In 2024, we promised one lakh jobs, can somebody give me the address of the 20,000 youth who have been given jobs (during one year of the NC government)?”

Ruhullah has been critical of the Omar dispensation over its alleged “failings” on multiple political issues, ranging from the restoration of Article 370 and J&K statehood to the rationalisation of reservation. He has accused Omar of failing to deliver on the promises made by the NC in its manifesto for the Assembly polls last year.

An influential Shia cleric, Ruhullah has also refused to campaign for NC candidate Aga Mehmood in the November 11 Budgam bypolls, saying his “loyalty” is to his “conscience and principles”, even though Budgam is his home turf.