Express News Service
SRINAGAR: The quitting of Congress by Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to deal a severe blow to J&K Congress unit and the signs are visible. About 10 J&K Congress leaders including two ex-ministers and ex legislators have quit the party in support of Azad and many more are likely to resign in the coming days to join the new party to be floated by Azad.
Hours after Azad quit the Congress after 50 years of association with the party, five J&K Congress leaders in a joint statement announced their resignation from the party.
“We resign from all the positions held in the Congress party and also resign from the primary membership of the party in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” read the joint resignation statement issued by five former Congress MLAs Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Choudhary Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad and Abdur Rashid Dar.
All five were loyalists of Azad and three of them had resigned from different J&K Congress committees following Azad’s refusal to head J&K Campaign Committee.
Another Azad loyalist and former minister R S Chib also resigned from the basic membership of the party.
“I feel that in the prevailing circumstances, Congress has lost its momentum in contributing towards the future of my State. Keeping in view the turmoil that J&K has witnessed over the past decades, the people require a decisive leader like Ghulam Nabi Azad to guide them towards a better future. I feel that Congress has not been able to play the role that is expected of it,” read Chib’s resignation letter.
Former minister Jugal Kishor Sharma, two former MLCs Sham Lal Bhagat and Naresh Gupta and Congress National spokesperson Salman Nazmi have also resigned from the party. Besides, Congress district presidents from Doda and Kishtwar have also quit the party to side with Azad.
More Congress leaders close to Azad may resign from the party in the coming days.
Saroori, who was among the J&K Congress leaders who resigned from the party, told TNIE that now only J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool will be left alone. “Had he not been appointed as J&K Congress chief, he too would have resigned”.
He said they would be joining the new party to be floated by Azad. “It will be a secular party and will have nothing to do with BJP”.
Former J&K Congress chief G A Mir slammed Azad saying it was time for him to give something in return to the party but he ran away.
“Azad and some other party leaders were enjoying the positions and protocols. They wanted to remain in RS so that they can remain in government bungalows and enjoy government protocol. They left the party for green pastures in other parties. Maybe Azad has also got an offer from somewhere for him to remain in protocol,” he said.
Jammu-based political analyst Rekha Choudhary said Azad leaving the Congress would further weaken the Congress in J&K.
The J&K Congress unit has been weakened after Article 370 revocation as many leaders have quit the party and joined BJP and other parties.
Rekha said the possibility of Azad floating a new party won’t have much impact in J&K and it won’t change much on the ground.
SRINAGAR: The quitting of Congress by Ghulam Nabi Azad is likely to deal a severe blow to J&K Congress unit and the signs are visible. About 10 J&K Congress leaders including two ex-ministers and ex legislators have quit the party in support of Azad and many more are likely to resign in the coming days to join the new party to be floated by Azad.
Hours after Azad quit the Congress after 50 years of association with the party, five J&K Congress leaders in a joint statement announced their resignation from the party.
“We resign from all the positions held in the Congress party and also resign from the primary membership of the party in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” read the joint resignation statement issued by five former Congress MLAs Ghulam Mohammad Saroori, Choudhary Muhammad Akram, Muhammad Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad and Abdur Rashid Dar.
All five were loyalists of Azad and three of them had resigned from different J&K Congress committees following Azad’s refusal to head J&K Campaign Committee.
Another Azad loyalist and former minister R S Chib also resigned from the basic membership of the party.
“I feel that in the prevailing circumstances, Congress has lost its momentum in contributing towards the future of my State. Keeping in view the turmoil that J&K has witnessed over the past decades, the people require a decisive leader like Ghulam Nabi Azad to guide them towards a better future. I feel that Congress has not been able to play the role that is expected of it,” read Chib’s resignation letter.
Former minister Jugal Kishor Sharma, two former MLCs Sham Lal Bhagat and Naresh Gupta and Congress National spokesperson Salman Nazmi have also resigned from the party. Besides, Congress district presidents from Doda and Kishtwar have also quit the party to side with Azad.
More Congress leaders close to Azad may resign from the party in the coming days.
Saroori, who was among the J&K Congress leaders who resigned from the party, told TNIE that now only J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool will be left alone. “Had he not been appointed as J&K Congress chief, he too would have resigned”.
He said they would be joining the new party to be floated by Azad. “It will be a secular party and will have nothing to do with BJP”.
Former J&K Congress chief G A Mir slammed Azad saying it was time for him to give something in return to the party but he ran away.
“Azad and some other party leaders were enjoying the positions and protocols. They wanted to remain in RS so that they can remain in government bungalows and enjoy government protocol. They left the party for green pastures in other parties. Maybe Azad has also got an offer from somewhere for him to remain in protocol,” he said.
Jammu-based political analyst Rekha Choudhary said Azad leaving the Congress would further weaken the Congress in J&K.
The J&K Congress unit has been weakened after Article 370 revocation as many leaders have quit the party and joined BJP and other parties.
Rekha said the possibility of Azad floating a new party won’t have much impact in J&K and it won’t change much on the ground.
