In Ghulam Nabi Azad’s explosive resignation letter to the Congress, there lies a hint that can point to what the veteran politician’s future move will be. It can be perceived as Azad’s next political move after 52 years in the grand old party, from which he chose to make an exit on his own terms.
Azad may have left a vacuum in the leadership of the rebel group G23 as well as the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress, but the question is: will the 73-year-old leader go the Amarinder Singh way and float a new political party? There are reports in the media that he is keen on forming a new political party ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir elections due later this year.
A few sentences towards the end of his resignation letter could may as well be interpreted as the former J&K chief minister’s future plans. He writes, “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.”
After a stretched out political battle with Navjot Singh Sidhu, Captain Amarinder Singh, too, stepped down from the post of Punjab CM and quit the Congress last year. Amarinder’s move came just months ahead of the assembly elections, and he soon floated a new party called Punjab Lok Congress and fought the elections in alliance with the BJP.
Azad’s exit from the party was followed by the five senior Congress leaders from J&K, including two former ministers, resigning from the party’s basic membership. Sources have said more are likely to follow. Former ministers RS Chib and GM Saroori, former MLA Mohammad Amin Bhat, former MLC Naresh Gupta and party leader Salman Nizami resigned in support of Azad.
Chib, in fact, said he would follow Azad wherever he went and it had been quite difficult for the leader over the past few months as he was pushed to the wall and was left with no choice. “Keeping in view the turmoil that the state of J&K has witnessed over the past decades, the people require a decisive leader like Azad to guide them towards a better future. I feel that the Congress party has not been able to play the role that is expected of it,” Chib said in his resignation letter. Saroori, too, said many J&K leaders will follow Azad and only the J&K Congress president will be left.
Azad’s resignation from the Congress has created a political storm in J&K, leaving the grand old party in disarray in the union territory. Even as Azad ended his decades-old association with the party, leaders across political spectrum praised his contribution to Jammu and Kashmir with the BJP hailing him as a “towering leader”.
However, recently designated J&K Congress president Vikar Rasool Wani — also seen as an Azad loyalist — and his predecessor GA Mir, who belonged to the rival camp, said they will work with double the resolve now to strengthen the party at the grassroots in the UT.
If Azad does float a new political party, he could make for a tough contender with the backing of his stint as Jammu and Kashmir CM from November 2005 to July 2008. His leadership left an indelible mark on the erstwhile state and its development. The government under him completed pending development projects in record time by introducing double-shift working, while some major landmarks developed during his tenure include the new assembly complex, new museum building, Hajj house and many educational institutions.
His focus to provide his native place with the best of facilities reflected during his time as the union health minister in UPA-2. He sanctioned five new medical colleges and two super-speciality hospitals for Jammu and Kashmir.
Azad’s letter also mentions the BJP, stating it was unfortunate that the Congress had conceded national space to the saffron party. There is much speculation over whether he will join the BJP since his association with Prime Minister Narendra Modi goes back a long way. Last year, Modi had given Azad a teary-eyed farewell during his time as the opposition leader in Rajya Sabha. Azad was also conferred the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour earlier this year.
Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP president, said, “His stature is very high and we respect… BJP is a party, whose doors are always open for all those who want to contribute for the nation. We will honour his decision with regard to his future in politics.” Haryana leader Kuldeep Singh Bishnoi, who left the Congress recently, also said Azad was welcome to come and join the BJP.
Even the National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said he would be happy to welcome Azad into the party fold. But, the leader said Azad’s decision to quit the Congress was “a bit impulsive” and he should “stick to his secular ideals”.
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