Showing his strength to party high-command by conducting a whirlwind tour of every nook and corner of Jammu and Kashmir, former leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday claimed himself as a "real and genuine" Congressman.
Winding up his second phase of the mass contact programme by organizing a massive rally at the border town of Khour in Jammu district, Azad said, "I am a Congressman. 24 'Carat' Congressman. How does it matter if 18 Carats are challenging 24 Carat?" Azad said, responding to questions about the speculations of his possible exit from the party like former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.
By terming his detractors in the party as 18 Carats Congressmen, Azad made it clear that he is the "real" Congressman in the party and those challenging him are not the genuine leaders of the party.
After attending the Deewali Milan function during the first week of November, Azad is addressing a series of rallies in length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir.
"Except North Kashmir, I have addressed rallies in every part of Jammu and Kashmir during the last one month", Azad said and made it clear that he would continue this campaign to mobilize people.
High command's decision failed to demoralize Azad loyalists
Within aim to "intimidate" loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress high command has accepted their resignations from posts and positions of the party. Despite this decision, loyalists of Azad are united.
In today's rally held at Khour, which is the hometown of former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, all loyalists of Azad made it a point to mark their presence to give a message to the high command.
In November, 24 party leaders, who owe their allegiance to Azad, had submitted their resignation from their posts and raised a banner of revolt against J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir. Azad loyalists had submitted mass resignations to mount pressure on party leadership.
In the second week of December, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) had accepted their resignations with "immediate effect".
In today's rally former J&K Congress president Peerzada Sayeed, former ministers namely G M Saroori, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Manohar Lal, Choudhary Garu Ram, Vikar Rasool, former legislators Choudhary Mohammad Akram, Naresh Dogra, Hyder Malik, Subash Gupta, Ashok Dogra, and Amin Bhat were present.
Azad has yet not opened his cards
Although Ghulam Nabi Azad is touring different areas of Jammu and Kashmir, he has yet not opened his cards about his future course of action.
During a rally at Doda on December 21, which is his home district, Azad has given a statement in which he criticized all political parties for the unending woes of the people.
"You have seen regimes of all political parties be it NC, PDP, BJP, or Congress but you the woes of people are mounting with every passing day", he told people. This statement is significant as Azad has blamed all political parties for not solving the problems of the people.
Earlier on December 5, Azad had stated that anything can happen in politics. "No one can say what will happen next in politics like no one knows when he will die. In politics, no one can predict what will happen next, but I have no intention to form a party", Azad replied to the query regarding the formation of a new political party.
