Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, National Conference (NC) candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, strongly opposes the Centre’s decisions of August 5, 2019, which divided the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories and revoked its special status. In an interview with The Hindu, Mehdi discusses the challenges facing regional parties in Kashmir and emphasizes the need to restore Article 370 and the pre-1953 position of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Srinagar Lok Sabha seat is poised for a significant shift in mainstream politics, with ideology taking center stage in the upcoming May 13 election. Former allies National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are engaged in a fierce battle, while J&K Apni Party has also fielded a candidate. The election marks a shift from the traditional slogan of ‘sadak, bijli, pani’ to a focus on political ideologies. Both the NC and the PDP have fielded candidates known for their ideological opposition to the BJP’s move to end J&K’s special constitutional position in 2019.
