Revolt in Jammu and Kashmir Congress? After Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation, 2 more leaders follow

Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad recently stepped down from the top post of the party’s Jammu and Kashmir committee, seemingly triggering an internal revolt within the party under the leadership of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad recently stepped down from the Chairman post of the Congress Jammu and Kashmir committee just hours after he assumed the post, citing health reasons for stepping down, according to ANI reports.

Though Azad said thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi for giving him the opportunity for the post, sources have suggested that the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister resigned from the post since he saw it as a demotion for him.

As per the sources, two other Congress leaders have decided to quit their posts in the Congress party soon after Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation. One of the leaders who quit the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir committee was former MLA Gulzar Ahmed Wani, who is a close aide of Azad.

Tendering his resignation, Gulzar Ahmed Wani wrote, “We’re unhappy as senior leaders weren’t consulted before taking a decision on J&K PCC chief. We’ve resigned from the party’s coordination committee as a protest against the recent announcements of PCC chief. I’ve resigned from Congress’ primary membership.”

According to a statement by former MLA Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, senior leaders in the party were not consulted before appointing the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir PCC, which triggered the string of resignations in the Congress party.

Ghulam Nabi Azad is one of the senior-most leaders in the Congress party, with a heavy influence in Jammu and Kashmir. He has served as the Chief Minister of J&K in the past, and also held the post of a Union minister as well as other portfolios.

His resignation from the party post indicated an internal rift in the Congress party, which might lead to a revolt by several leaders against the top party management which consists of the Gandhi family.

(With inputs from agencies)

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