8 J&K Congress leaders quit in support of Azad, more resignations likely
Eight former Congress legislators and ex-ministers from Jammu and Kashmir on Friday resigned from basic membership of Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad who resigned from the party on Friday
Eight former Congress legislators and ex-ministers from Jammu and Kashmir on Friday resigned from the basic membership of Congress in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad who resigned from the party on Friday morning.
Among the former leaders who resigned from the Congress three are from Kashmir and five from Jammu province.
Those who resigned are former ministers GM Saroori, RS Chib and Jugal Kishore Sharma, and Choudhary Akram, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, Haji Abdul Rashid and Naresh Gupta, all former legislators. “We the following ex-ministers and legislators of the dissolved legislative assembly of J&K here by resign from all the positions holding in the Congress party and also resign from the basic membership of the party in support of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” reads the signed resignation letter that has been circulated to the media.
Former minister Chib also submitted a separate resignation addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
“Over the years as a member of the Congress party, it has been my sincere endeavour to work for the betterment of my state - Jammu & Kashmir. I feel that in the prevailing circumstances, Congress party has lost its momentum in contributing towards the future of my state,” Chib said in his resignation letter.
“Keeping in view the turmoil that the state of J&K has witnessed over the past decades, the people require a decisive leader like Azad to guide them towards a better future. I feel that the Congress has not been able to play the role that is expected of it,” the letter further said.
Five leaders who resigned today are already camping in Delhi and are considered close to Azad.
Haji Abdul Rashid, two-time former legislator from north Kashmir’s Sopore assembly constituency, had resigned soon after Congress announced former legislator Vikar Rasool as the new J&KPCC president.
Meanwhile, more resignations are in the offing as many other Congress J&K leaders are contemplating quitting the party.
“We will be meeting tonight and only after discussion with others we will be issuing a statement,” said one of the senior Congress leaders from Kashmir.
Last year, Azad held a series of rallies in Jammu and Kashmir and only leaders loyal to Azad had attended those rallies and many leaders have been dropping hints that Azad could form his own political party. With today’s resignation of Azad, many Congress leaders admitted that the former J&K chief minister could launch his own party.
Earlier when Vikar Rasool’s name was announced as the new J&K Congress president, Azad was assigned to head the campaign committee, however, he had refused to take the assignment.
