‘I’ll give a Hindustani name’: Ex-Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on his new party in J-K

Jammu: Ghulam Nabi Azad, in his first public meeting in Jammu after quitting Congress, announced to launch his own political outfit that will focus on the restoration of full statehood. “I`ve not decided upon a name for my party yet. The people of J-K will decide the name and the flag for the party. I`ll give a Hindustani name to my party that everyone can understand,” Azad said at the rally after breaking away from his five-decade-long association with the grand old party.

“My party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, right to land and employment to native domicile,” he added. Azad said that the first unit of his political outfit would be formed in Jammu and Kashmir in view of impending assembly polls.

“My party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, right to land and employment to native domicile,” he added. He lashed out at Congress and said that people are trying to defame us (me and my supporters who left the party) but their reach is limited to computer tweets.

Gave my blood to Congress

Criticising the party, Azad said, “Congress was made by us by our blood, not by computers, not by Twitter. People are trying to defame us but their reach is limited to computers and tweets. That is the reason Congress is nowhere to be seen on the ground.”

Ghulam Nabi Azad held his first public meeting at Sainik Colony in Jammu”I thank everyone who supported me through their resignations, WhatsApp messages and other mediums from across the country since I resigned from the party. I have served the Congress party holding every position for last 53 years, but never received this much of love even when I am not on any position,” Azad said.

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Taking a jibe at Congress, Azad said that people from Congress now go to jail in buses, call DGP or Commissioners, get their names written and leave within an hour. This is the reason Congress has been unable to grow.

Azad resigned last week

Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from the all-party post last week. Notably, he has been Chief Minister of J-K from 2005 to 2008. In his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi, Azad had targeted party leadership, particularly Rahul Gandhi, over the way the party has been run in the past nearly nine years.

In the hard-hitting five-page letter, Azad had claimed that a coterie runs the party while Sonia Gandhi was just “a nominal head” and all the major decisions were taken by “Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs”.

Azad had said he was submitting his resignation with “great regret and an extremely leaden heart” and severing his 50-year association with the Congress. He was earlier Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

Attacking Congress leaders

Recounting his long association with the Congress, Azad had said the situation in the party has reached a point of “no return.” While Azad took potshots at Sonia Gandhi in the letter, his sharpest attack was on Rahul Gandhi and he described the Wayand MP as a “non-serious individual” and “immature”. With Azad signalling that he will float a new party, several leaders have resigned from the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand are among 64 leaders who have resigned from the Congress. Over 36 Congress leaders including leaders of the National Students` Union of India, the youth wing of the Congress party, from various universities in Jammu have submitted their resignations in solidarity with Azad.