Nasir Azam
Srinagar, Jan 10: Amid fast changing political situation in Jammu & Kashmir, former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s newly launched political party is imploding with two more leaders quitting it on Tuesday.
Former MLC Choudhary Nizamuddin Khatana and his political heir and son Choudhary Gulzar, who was vice- chairman of the Gujjar and Pahari Board during the PDP-BJP regime, Tuesday resigned from Azad-led party, which is yet to be registered by the Election Commission of India.
“In view of the present political development, I, Choudhary Nizamuddin Khatana, former MLC, hereby tender my resignation from the post of general secretary of DPAP including the basic membership of DPAP. This may be regarded as my resignation letter,” Khatana said in his resignation letter.
The exit of the father-son duo was expected after former minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed returned to the Congress. Choudhary Gulzar is considered one of the strong contenders for Larnoo seat which is reserved for the schedule tribes. Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed has influence in the seat as several areas of the erstwhile Kokernag assembly segment are part of the newly carved out ST seat.
Soon after Azad severed his association with the Congress and announced to launch a new political party, his loyalist and former MLA Choudhary Muhammad Akram was the first person to distance from him.
On August 26, Akram along with five other former lawmakers resigned from the Congress in support of Azad.
On December 22, Azad-led party faced a severe setback when its three top leaders- former deputy CM Tara Chand, former minister Manohar Lal Sharma and Balwan Singh- were expelled on charges of indulging in anti-party activities.
Last week, 17 of its leaders including for Tara Chand, former minister Peerzada Muhammad Sayeed, Balwan Singh returned to Congress ahead of J&K leg Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Amid continuous exodus of leaders, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called it as “Disappearing Azad Party”.
Jairam Ramesh, who has been taking potshots at Azad after he severed his five-decade old ties with the Congress, termed his DPAP as “Disappearing Azad Party.”
Ramesh made these comments on a tweet of youth Congress spokesman Dr. Jahanzaib Sirwal.
Sirwal had tweeted that “after Melbourne the fastest pitch to have the highest wicket fall is DPAP.”
