Within hours after giving a "bold" statement about the future of the party in the coming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Mohammad Amin Bhat, a two-time Congress MLA and a staunch supporter of Ghulam Nabi Azad today retracted his earlier remarks.
His statement that Congress will not win even a single seat in the coming assembly elections has evoked a strong reaction and the party sought clarification from him.
Retracting his earlier statement, Bhat said that he had said that without Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress will not form the government in the upcoming election in Jammu and Kashmir. Bhat, who was a former president of the J&K Youth Congress said he only stated that without Ghulam Nabi Azad party is zero in J&K.
"During a meeting with the party in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir Rajni Patel, I had said that if Ghulam Nabi Azad is not declared the CM candidate or he is not made the party president, then Congress is zero here", a news agency reported while quoting Mohammad Amin Bhat.
"Shoot me at Lal Chowk..."
As reported by a news agency, Mohammad Amin Bhat on Sunday challenged that Congress will not win even a single seat in coming assembly elections in J&K. "If Congress wins even a single seat in Jammu and Kashmir, shoot me at Lal Chowk", Bhat reportedly told party leaders during a meeting at Srinagar on Sunday.
Bhat is a staunch loyalist of the former leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad. He has been demanding that Azad must be declared the chief ministerial candidate of the party in J&K.
Bhat is among those loyalists of Azad who have already submitted their resignations from all posts of the Congress party.
In November 2021, Azad loyalists resigned from all posts of the Congress party. And, they have submitted their resignations directly to Sonia Gandhi to ignore the incumbent J&K party chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir.
Bhat said that the situation is not good for Congress in the state at this time. "Without Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress is zero. If today you declare Azad not party president but CM candidate, then you will see that our government will be formed," he claimed.
Fearing action, Bhat takes a U-turn
As Congress leaders took strong exception to his statement and demanded action, Mohammad Amin Bhat was quick to retract and pointed out that his statement was misquoted.
"I only said that if Ghulam Nabi Azad is not declared the chief ministerial candidate or he is not made the party president, then Congress is zero in J&K", he clarified
He further said that Azad is loved by Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs as well because he had always stood for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Dissidents in Congress have made it clear to the party leadership that Ghulam Ahmed Mir, J&K chief is not capable to lead the party in coming assembly elections. They suggested the party high-command appoint Azad as party chief to fight elections in J&K.
