Finding it difficult to keep his flock together, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad received another setback on Monday when many of his staunch supporters rejoined the Congress party in Delhi.
Leaders of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) of Ghulam Nabi Azad and Aam Aadmi Party joined Congress in the presence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Vikar Rasool Wani and AICC general secretary incharge J&K Rajni Patil were also present.
Three former legislators namely Naresh K Gupta from Bhaderwah, Sham Lal Bhagat from Doda, and Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, from Sopore Kashmir, returned to the Congress fold after quitting DPAP.
The ex-lawmakers claimed themselves as staunch supporters of Ghulam Nabi Azad. It was all due to the efforts of Ghulam Nabi Azad that both Gupta and Bhagat were elected as members of the Legislative Council of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdul Rashid Dar, who had won the assembly election in 2014 from the Sopore constituency of north Kashmir's Baramulla district on a Congress ticket, was among the founding members of the DPAP which was formed by former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in September last year after ending his five-decade-long association with the grand old party.
The INC family is growing from strength to strength in Jammu & Kashmir!
— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) August 7, 2023
Today, 21 leaders from various parties joined the Congress fold in the presence of INC President Sh. Mallikarjun @kharge ji, AICC In-Charge @rajanipatil_in ji, and J&K PCC President Sh. @vikar_rasool ji. pic.twitter.com/1yICHYHs9E
Other DPAP leaders namely Saima Jan, Shahjehan Dar, Santosh Majotra, Rajni Sharma, Nirmal Singh Mehta, Maheshvar Vishwakarma, and Jung Bahadur Sharma returned to the Congress party.
Jairam Ramesh taunts Azad with "Disappearing Azad Party" slogan
Wasting no time in taunting former party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad after his loyalists deserted him, Member of Parliament and General Secretary in-charge Communication, Jairam Ramesh again dubbed Azad's party as "Disappearing Azad Party".
"Earlier this morning, 21 J&K leaders from DAP (Disappearing Azad Party) rejoined the Congress, including one who filed a defamation case against me on behalf of Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Meanwhile, Mr. GNA himself gives new evidence of his DNA mutation by saying "Those opposing Article 370 abrogation ignorant of the situation on the ground". This is from a man who led the charge against the abrogation in the Rajya Sabha on Aug 5, 2019!", he posted on social media.
"I suppose he needs to justify the very generous extension given to him to continue staying in his sprawling bungalow in New Delhi, long after he has exited Parliament", Ramesh added.
Earlier this morning, 21 J&K leaders from DAP (Disappearing Azad Party) rejoined the Congress, including one who filed a defamation case against me on behalf of Ghulam Nabi Azad.
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) August 7, 2023
Meanwhile, Mr. GNA himself gives new evidence of his DNA mutation by saying "those opposing Article… pic.twitter.com/oGl06OSMV0
AAP leaders join Congress
Senior leaders of the J&K unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) who resigned from the party on Saturday also joined the Congress party along with loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad.
A two-time legislator from the Samba assembly segment of J&K and former minister Yashpal Kundal, who was chief of the SC/ST and OBC Department of AAP in J-K, was among those who joined the Congress here.
Other prominent leaders of AAP who joined Congress included elected member of the District Development Council (DDC) Taranjit Singh Toni, Hamit Singh Batti, Ramesh Pandotra, Vaid Raj Sharma, and Mandeep Chowdhary.
