SRINAGAR: In an apparent ‘class war’ within Congress various Congressmen in Jammu and Kashmir are reported to have given up their party positions. Termed to be Ghulam Nabi Azad loyalists, the development took place at a time when the former Chief Minister is touring Pir Panchal Valley.

Rahul Gandhi being received by G A Mir, Prof Saifuddin Soz at Srinagar airport on August 9, 2021

Those who have reportedly sent their resignations to the party president in Delhi, Mrs Sonia Gandhi include Ghulam Nabi Monga, Vikar Rasool, G M Saroori, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Naresh Gupta, Subash Gupta, Amin Bhat, Anwar Bhat, and Inayat Ali. Various district presidents of the party have also submitted their resignations.

“We had suggested the party that they must look into the affairs of working and intervene,” one senior Congressman told Kashmir Life. “We waited for the response but we never got anything. So we decided that we must leave our party positions though not the party.”

Another leader who admitted he has also sent his resignation said the Congress is becoming an empty ship and nobody in the party is concerned. “More than 200 people have left the party including former ministers and lawmakers,” he said. “Nobody is bothered.”

The leader referred to Shoab Lone, Hilal Shah, Aijaz Khan and his brother and Usman Majid who left the party and joined other parties. “Nobody investigated why it happened,” he regretted.

Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, JKPCC President G A Mir and EX MLA Abdul Rashid Dar during public outreach programme in Kashmir

However, what is common in all the leaders who gave up their party positions is that they are being seen as Ghulam Nabi Azad loyalists. They have alleged that the party has been “hijacked” as a result of which the party lacks even one BDC in Jammu and Kashmir.

Interestingly, the development has taken place at a time when Azad is touring Pir Panchal valley. He had a good gathering in Banihal on Tuesday and today he is speaking to another gathering in Thathri. Azad is scheduled to have another public meeting in Billawar (Kathua) on Thursday.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Congress is currently being led by G A Mir. Though the party is having two strong factions, led by Azad and Mir, there are other small splinter groups on the margins as well.

In his Banihal speech, the focus was on the attempts being made at dividing people into religious, linguistic and geographic lines.

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