NC govt has failed on political front: Ruhullah Mehdi

National Conference’s Lok Sabha MP Ruhullah Mehdi on Saturday said that his party’s government in Jammu and Kashmir has failed on the political front.

The comment of the Srinagar MP, who has been disgruntled with the party for some time now, came as the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led government will complete one year in office on October 16.

“The government is about to complete a year in office. Whatever was needed to be done on the political front, has not happened. There was a need to show intent, but I personally feel that has not been shown till now,” Mehdi told reporters here.

He said the government has to satisfy the people. “If people are satisfied, I am satisfied. If people ask questions, those should be heard seriously. They (government) should ponder about where the lacunae is,” he added.

Referring to the demand for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Mehdi said the BJP has no intention of restoring “the rights snatched from people.” In August 2019, the Central government abrogated Article 370, ending the autonomous status of Jammu and Kashmir and brought it under the full constitutional authority of India. It also divided the state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

“They (BJP) want people to remain disempowered. They want to make them more disempowered,” the MP said.

When asked about the upcoming bypolls in Budgam, Mehdi, who had represented the seat in the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir assembly thrice, said he has informed the party about what the people of the constituency want. “I have talked to them. I have said what the people of Budgam want. I will talk to you in detail about it after a few days,” the Shia leader said.

Mehdi also asked the government and the assembly Speaker to make efforts to revoke the Public Security Act (PSA) on Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mehraj Malik and to ensure his participation in the upcoming assembly session.

“The elected government and the Speaker should make efforts. First, his PSA should be withdrawn. It is not a relevant law if he has made some mistake. The elected government and the Speaker should make efforts so that Malik attends the assembly session,” Mehdi said.

MLA Mehraj Malik, who is also the president of AAP unit in Jammu and Kashmir, was on September 8 detained under the Public Security Act and jailed for allegedly disturbing public order in Doda district.