Congress names Vikar Rasul Wani as J&K chief; Azad quits, party stumped [details]

After Ghulam Nabi Azad quit as the campaign committee Chairman hours after his appointment, sources in the Congress claimed that the party had held extensive consultations with him on every committee.

The All India Congress Committee on Tuesday appointed Vikar Rasool Wani as the new President of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC). In a shocking development, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad quit as J&K campaign committee head after being named by the party and has conveyed his decision to the party leadership, sources close to him said. However, there is no official word from both sides.

After Ghulam Nabi Azad quit as the campaign committee Chairman hours after his appointment, sources in the Congress claimed that the party had extensively consulted with him on every committee.

The party held four rounds of consultations with Azad and the last round was held on July 14.

Congress sources claimed that when Saifuddin Soz was the state Congress president, Ghulam Nabi Azad was the campaign committee chief of the Party in Jammu and Kashmir.

Azad's resignation shocks many

Azad's resignation has come as a surprise to many in the party as it was considered that he was consulted in the key appointments and was active in party forums. He even took part in Congress 'Gaurav Yatra' on Monday and addressed a press conference when Sonia Gandhi was called to the Enforcement Directorate in the National Herald newspaper case.

Azad has been upset since being ignored for the Rajya Sabha after he retired as the Leader of Opposition in the Upper House.

Vikar Rasool Wani is new Cong J&K chiefIANS

He is one of the prominent leaders of the party G-23 group which demanded sweeping reforms in the party.

The issue came to the fore when the party was to begin the process of electing its new president.

The party on Tuesday appointed new office-bearers to its J&K state unit. Vikar Rasul Wani was made the state president.

The post had fallen vacant after Ghulam Ahmad Mir stepped down as the JKPCC president. Wani is a loyalist of former Chief Minister Azad.

With Wani's appointment as the JKPCC President, the infighting between the Azad loyalists and those supporting Ghulam Ahmad Mir has apparently ended since Mir has said that he would abide by the decision of the party high command.

(With inputs from IANS)