Faith and politics: NC’s dual-engine spiritual drive uniting Muslim voices | India News – Times of India

SRINAGAR: Some call it a religious attraction. Some call it “Peer-Mureedi”. Whatever it may be, the presence of two spiritual guides from different Muslim sects in the National Conference campaign consolidated the vote for the Omar Abdullah group and placed it outside the battle that PDP, newbies and independents could wage.
Lok Sabha MPs Mian Altaf Ahmad by Anantnag-Rajouri and Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi from Srinagar are respected clerics, who were inseparable from Omar’s travels across J&K in the murderous campaign that lasted for over a month.
The Mian family represents the revered spiritual seat of the Gujjar-Bakarwal communities in J&K. While the community is present in parts of Kashmir, they are also present in large numbers in the Jammu region. Interestingly, Mian Altaf’s son Mehar Ali made his debut from his former assembly seat in Kangan, hampering the MP’s movement in the party’s campaigns. He addressed many gatherings in Poonch and other regions of Jammu through video call while apologizing for being inconvenienced by his son’s match.

Aga Ruhullah is a young and respected cleric of the Shia sect well represented in the pockets of Srinagar-Budgam, both of which have been wiped out by NC. In fact, Budgam, which Omar chose this time as his second seat after Ganderbal, was Aga’s previous gathering place.
Observers point out that the two are not only representatives of individual sects but are also respected by the large section of the Kashmiri community and also by Jammu Muslims. It works twofold: by taking the political campaign to individual groups, but also by appealing to the larger religious umbrella.
The strong mandate for NC also reflects the magic woven by the two MPs, whose families have played political roles in addition to their religious duties for decades.
The Mian family has represented Kangan in Kashmir since 1951, going back to the MP’s grandfather. In the 2024 LS polls, Ahmad defeated PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti from Anantnag.
At the same time, Aga Ruhullah’s family has been active in Budgam politics for decades and his father was killed by the militants. He himself served as a three-term MLA and minister in the NC government before becoming an MP in 2024.
The NC’s decision to include its religious faces in the 2024 LS polls was smart. With PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti as candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri, Ahmad’s candidacy took the Gujjar-Bakarwal votes from Rajouri in Jammu to the NC base in Anantnag in Kashmir, giving the party a major victory over a star rival.
At the same time, Ruhullah’s candidacy brought together the average Srinagar voter, angry over the abrogation of special status, with his sect, which is well in power in Srinagar. Aga became popular with his speeches against the reading of Article 370 in 2019.
Four months later, their status as top parliamentarians elevated them to the position of key figure of the NC campaign.