Omar Abdullah blames NC MP Aga Ruhullah for Budgam bypoll loss

SRINAGAR: Upset over the historic loss of his party in the Budgam Assembly bypolls, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday launched a sharp attack on party MP Aga Ruhullah, accusing him of committing political suicide for not campaigning for the NC candidate. Ruhullah responded with a pointed message on humility, describing arrogance as a recipe for disaster and citing a verse from the Holy Quran. Speaking to reporters in Jammu after the bypoll defeat, Omar said, Ruhullah wanted to convey a message and did what he did, but politically he committed a suicide. You cut your nose to spite your face. The PDPs Aga Muntazir defeated NCs Aga Mahmood in the Budgam bypoll, which was necessitated after CM Omar vacated the seat. Omar had contested from both Budgam and Ganderbal in last years assembly polls, retaining Ganderbal while vacating Budgam. J&K bypolls: Historic loss for NC as PDP wins Budgam seat for first time; BJP retains Nagrota seat Hinting that Ruhullahs political space in Budgam might shrink, Omar said, The person who has won from Budgam will not allow Ruhullah again to stand from there. I will stand again, but whether Ruhullah will contest from Budgam can only be decided by him, he added. Budgam had been an NC stronghold, with the party having never lost a single election there since 1972. We wanted development for Budgam and a relationship with the ruling party, but people chose otherwise, Omar said. In Budgam, a large section of voters do not vote on issues but back personalities. NC MP Aga Ruhullah, who has been at odds with the Omar government over its priorities, posted on X: Arrogance is the recipe for disaster. Consciousness, humility, and introspection is the way. Taking a dig at Omar, Ruhullah cited a Quranic verse: I will turn away from My signs those who are arrogant upon the earth without right; and if they should see every sign, they will not believe in it. And if they see the way of consciousness, they will not adopt it; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it, for they have denied Our signs and were heedless of them. The escalating exchange underscores the widening rift between the CM and MP, raising questions about how their discord could affect NCs internal dynamics and Budgams political future.