SRINAGAR: The perpetually crisis-ridden Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir is shedding weight. Reports appearing in the media suggest that three senior Congress leaders are leaving the party.
The names that are in circulation on the non-stopping desertion process from the Congress include former deputy speaker Gulam Hyder Malik and two former MLCs – Subash Gupta from Kathua and Sham Lal Bhagat from Doda. Azad’s aide and close confidant, GM Saroori has confirmed having received “the letters (of support)” from the three politicians. Malik is a former MLA from Kathua’s Bani Assembly constituency.
The reports also added that many other former lawmakers and ministers including Tara Chand, Abdul Majid Wani, Manohar Lal Sharma and Gharu Ram and Balwan Singh had also met Azad in Delhi. It was not immediately known if they are joining the yet-to-be-named party by Azad.
PCC Chief Vikar Rasool regretted Azad’s decision. An Azad loyalist for more than two decades Vikar said he was shocked that Azad encouraged him to climb the tree and then used the axe to make it fall. He said he had met Azad for more than two hours after taking over as PCC Chief and he did not give a faint indication that he has decided to leave Congress. “This politics I do not know, I am a straightforward person,” Vikar told Kashmir Life. “He did talk about a big congregation in Jammu but I did not know it was about the party he is launching.”
Vikar has flown to Jammu for a party reception scheduled for Tuesday.
