Resigning from Congress in Ghulam Nabi Azad’s support was blunder: Ex-J&K Dy CM

In support of the three leaders, who chose to consult the populace before deciding on their next course of action, more than 100 office bearers and founding members of the DAP announced their resignation from the party.

Chand asserted that they would continue to be secular till last breath and had no problem joining the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra when it entered Jammu and Kashmir.

Chand, flanked by activists and leaders, told reporters,, “The decision of the DAP to expel us without any reason or justification came as a big surprise to us. Today, we feel that our decision to resign from the Congress in support of Azad was a blunder.”

He said they have a long association with Azad and when he resigned from the Congress, they felt that they should support their leader and extend moral support. “The Congress gave me a mandate, made me Congress legislative party leader, speaker and deputy chief minister…We repent our decision today as we feel we betrayed our party, while DAP betrayed us,” Chand said.

When questioned about being xpellede from the DAP, he said “We have been in politics for decades, and we have never experienced this kind of dictatorship. Azad rebelled against the Congress leadership, founded a G23 group, and even shot letters, but the (Congress) party, which values internal democracy, did not fire him.”

He went on to say, “We opposed the Pradesh Congress Committee (J&K) president at his behest but the party did not serve us any notice. We were working to strengthen the DAP, the party which is yet to get recognition, and we were accused of anti-party activities and sacked without any intimation.”

Welcoming Azad’s decision, Chand said it had further strengthened them and they are getting support from all across Jammu and Kashmir.

“To strengthen the secular vote bank and work for the restoration of the people’s rights, including the special status under Article 370 of the constitution and statehood, a great deal more leaders from Kashmir, including former ministers and legislators from the DAP and others, are joining our group,” Chand said.

Restoration of pre-August 5, 2019 status to Jammu and Kashmir is the popular demand of the people from both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

He said without mentioning Azad, “Despite the big leader’s assertion that it cannot be restored, “we want to tell him that nothing is impossibly difficult. We request that the Prime Minister accept the popular demand of both regions and reinstate our identity. He ought to hear the voices from J&K because he is the Prime Minister of the entire nation.”

Chand claimed that because he did not view any party as “untouchable,” he had enjoyed cordial relationships with all parties. “We are secular and will die as a secular,” he said when asked whether he would like to join BJP.

In a subtle remark on Azad he said, “The leaders inclined towards BJP or Congress or any other party should join any of these parties without hoodwinking the public. We have leaders here who are misleading the public and are dividing the secular votes to benefit one particular party.”

“We will not betray the public and we won’t play as an ‘A’ or ‘B’ team of any party. We will meet the public and after their consultation, will join a party which is secular and going to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Regarding the Bharat Joda Yatra, he stated that “we do not have any hesitation to be part of it” when National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, as well as leaders of other secular parties, expressed their desire to participate in the yatra that aims to unite the nation. However, he said nobody from the Congress approached them so far.

(With inputs from PTI)