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J&K leader who quit Congress to back GN Azad claims, 'Several senior leaders...'
Ghulam Nabi Azad's resignation from the Congress has dealt a huge blow to the party ahead of the upcoming state elections.
Ghulam Nabi Azad’s departure from the Congress was followed by the resignation of eight MLAs and ex legislators from the party in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. While some senior leaders were vocal in criticising Azad’s decision of leaving the grand old party ahead of several states elections and the 2024 national polls, several others - including those from Jammu and Kashmir - have come out in his support.
On Sunday, a former Congress leader from the union territory, GM Saroori, claimed that a “number of senior J&K leaders, former MLAs and others even from other parties are at Ghulam Nabi Azad's HQ in Delhi.” “Talks are going on, several have submitted their resignations, others in process,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Among others who had quit the party on Friday were former legislators RS Chib, Jugal Kishore Sharma, and Choudhary Akram, Mohammad Amin Bhat, Gulzar Ahmad Wani, Haji Abdul Rashid and Naresh Gupta.
“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,” a letter by these leaders read. Five of these members - considered to be close to be Azad - were said to be camping in Delhi even on Friday.
There has been buzz about a new party being floated now that Azad - who has served as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and union minister during his decades-long association with the Congress - has parted ways with the party.
Giving details on his next political move, Azad - in his five-page letter - had said: “Some of my other colleagues and I will now persevere to perpetuate the ideals for which we have dedicated our entire adult lives outside the fold of the Indian National Congress," he said.
Last year, another veteran Amarinder Singh had quit the Congress and floated his new party, which later fought the Punjab elections with the BJP.
(With inputs from ANI)
