Jammu Tawi, 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, today 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 DAP
including the basic membership of DAP. 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 scheduled 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 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 today called it the “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 DAP.”
