Former Jammu and Kashmir minister Taj Mohiuddin, who quit the party today and joined Ghulam Nabi Azad-led front said that they will form their own party and will make an announcement within 14 days.
He also said that the party led by Ghulam Nabi Azad will be open to coalition with Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Addressing a press conference Mohiuddin said, “We will form our own party and will make an announcement within 14 days. We are approaching Election Commission. We will not merge with any party, but we can have a coalition government if we need seats, only with NC or PDP.”
Lauding Azad for his role in Congress, the former minister said, “Azad Sahib was very favourite in Congress since former
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and he played the main role to give Congress new heights. He was the man who supported Sonia Gandhi on a large scale. Because he was very much talented and that is why he was on prime posts during his long tenure.”
He further criticised Congress leaders for doing propaganda against Azad that he is with BJP.
“But unfortunately some people at Congress office are doing propaganda against Azad Sahib that he is cooking something with BJP. It is shame for those people who say such things about Azad Sahib. It doesn’t mean he was not loyal to his party because he has a good relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said Mohiuddin.
He said that Azad served as CM of Jammu and Kashmir and did a tremendous job for the development of the state.
“Now the rumours are spreading against him that Azad Sahib is now a team of BJP which is very unfortunate because if we have connections with BJP then why we are still demanding that government restore (Article 370) August 4, 2019, position here. Now people in the valley especially Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari beating the drum and doing negative propaganda against Azad Sahib that he will make a team of BJP. But let me tell you honestly that we have no connection with BJP,” he added.
Earlier on Friday in a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from all positions of the Congress party including the primary membership of the party.
At a time when the Congress is gearing up for its ‘Bharat Jodo yatra’, a 148-day march from Kanyakumari on September 7 under the leadership of party leader Rahul Gandhi, will culminate in Kashmir, with an aim to reunite the nation, the party is struggling to keep its own leaders’ tact.