21 leaders from DPAP, AAP join Cong
Jairam slams Azad for ‘changing’ stance on Art 370
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 7: More than 20 leaders from J&K, including most of them from Ghulam Nabi
Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and AAP, joined the Congress Party in the presence of AICC president, Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi today.
“Congress party (INC) in Jammu and Kashmir is being strengthened day by day,” AICC president Kharge said while welcoming the new entrants into the party fold.
“We welcome several prominent leaders who joined us today. It is an indication of how the people of Jammu and Kashmir want Jammu & Kashmir Congress to take lead in addressing their issues and usher peace and progress,” the Indian National Congress president said.
The party also attacked Azad, saying Ghulam Nabi Azad himself gives new evidence of his DNA mutation by saying ‘those opposing Article 370 abrogation are ignorant of the situation on the ground’.”
“This from a man who led the charge against the abrogation in the Rajya Sabha on Aug 5, 2019. I suppose he needs to justify the very generous extension given to him to continue staying in his sprawling bungalow in New Delhi, long after he has exited Parliament,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
“Earlier this morning, 21 J&K leaders from DAP (Disappearing Azad Party) rejoined the Congress, including one who filed a defamation case against me on behalf of Ghulam Nabi Azad,” Jairam said.
Congress president Kharge, AICC general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal, AICC in-charge of J&K Rajani Patil and Jammu and Kashmir Congress president, Vikar Rasool Wani were also present on the occasion. The joining function took place at the residence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.
“The INC family is growing from strength to strength in Jammu & Kashmir. Today, 21 leaders from various parties joined the Congress fold in the presence of INC president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC In-Charge Rajani Patil and J&K PCC president Vikar Rasool Wani,” Venugopal tweeted.
Yashpal Kundal, a former Minister, a two-time legislator from the Panthers Party and chief of the SC/ST and OBC wing of the AAP in J&K was also among those who joined the Congress.
Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, a former vice president of the JKPCC who later joined Azad’s party, too returned to the Congress fold.
Naresh Kumar Gupta, DPAP vice president from Jammu and two times Congress MLC, Sham Lal Bhagat former MLC from Congress and DPAP Provincial general secretary; Namrata Sharma, former Provincial president of Apni Party and former AAP State Mahila president for J&K and former Corporator also joined Congress.
Others who joined Congress Party included Saima Jan- DDC Member and DPAP Provincial president women wing, Shahjehan Dar, DDC member and senior DPAP leader, Prof (Dr) Farooq Ahmad, former Director SKUAST and District president AAP; Taranjit Singh Tony, DDC Member from Suchetgarh, former president Youth wing of NC and Chairman of AAP Minority Cell J&K; Gazanfar Ali- former Director Sports, Santosh Majotra (DPAP leader), Rajni Sharma (DPAP), Nirmal Singh Mehta (DPAP), Madan Lal Chalotra (Apni Party), Hamit Singh Batti (AAP), Ramesh Pandotra ( Retd SP/AAP), Vaid Raj Sharma (AAP), Mandeep Chowdhary (AAP), Nazir Ahmed Auqab, Maheshvar Vishwakarma and Jung Bahadur Sharma (DPAP).
Prominent J&K Congress who were present on the occasion included- JKPCC working president Raman Bhalla, former JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmed Mir, CWC Member Tariq Hameed Karra, former DyCM Tara Chand, former Minister and DCC president for Jammu Yogesh Sawhney and former MLA, Balwan Singh.
It is pertinent to mention ere that several senior leaders, who had left the Congress to join Azad’s party after he quit the grand old party and formed his own outfit, have rejoined the Congress since then. Prominent among those included former DyCM Tara Chand, former JKPCC president Peerzada Mohd Sayeed and former MLA Bhalwan Singh. Only, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, a former Minister and one time close aide of Azad, has not rejoined Congress after quitting DPAP.
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