As bickerings in the Congress have been intensified after the humiliating debacle of the party in five states, dissident leader Ghulam Nabi has called a meeting of his supporters on March 20 at Jammu to devise a future course of action.
After being completely sidelined by the high command, Azad-former leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, is visiting Jammu on March 20 to hold interaction with his supporters.
A senior leader of J&K Congress, who owes his allegiance to Ghulam Nabi Azad, told The International Bussiness Times that the rebel leader will take a final decision after holding interactions with his supporters at Jammu on March 20.
"Messages have been given to all loyalists of Azad, across Jammu and Kashmir, to attend the meeting and give their suggestions regarding the future course of action", he said and disclosed that Azad loyalists have already started the exercise to prepare lists of their supporters at grass-root level.
Azad loyalists mobilizing support
Although Ghulam Nabi Azad has yet not announced his future course of action, his supporters have already started a campaign to mobilize support for a new political party in Jammu and Kashmir.
Azad supporters are trying to rope in potential leaders of other political parties to join their group to create an "alternative" in Jammu and Kashmir in general and Jammu province in particular.
Notable during his earlier visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Azad had stated that anything can happen in politics. He gave this statement on the query regarding the formation of a new political party in J&K.
"There are chances of the formation of a new political party but we are waiting for some time to take a final decision", a loyalist of Azad said recently and added that the former Chief Minister was exploring all possibilities, he was in touch with leaders of other parties also.
Azad 'silently' visited Jammu in February
Before the announcement of the results of assembly elections of five states, Azad visited Jammu very silently and deliberately avoided giving any political statements during his stay.
On February 19, Azad had arrived in Jammu for a four-day visit. During his stay at Jammu, Azad met with some leaders, especially his loyalists but he avoided speaking on any political issue.
His loyalists namely former ministers Jugal Kishore Sharma, Viqar Rasool Wani, Manohar Lal Sharma, and others received him at the airport there was no political activity during his stay at Jammu.
Azad loyalists boycott launching of digital membership drive
On Tuesday, All India Congress Committee coordinator departments and incharge of digital membership K Raju launched digital membership of the party.
Raju came from Delhi to launch the drive but the function was boycotted by loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad. Not even a single supporter of Azad attended the function.
Azad had organized meeting of G-23 leaders at Jammu
Ghulam Nabi Azad had organized a meeting of G-23 leaders at Jammu on February 27, 2021, under the banner of the Gandhi Global Family.
Apart from Azad, Kapil Sibal, Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, Bhupinder Hooda, and Raj Babbar had attended the event. The platform of this function was utilized to project Azad as leader of the G-23. All leaders of G-23 had lauded Azad but regretted that Congress leadership had not re-nominated him to the Rajya Sabha.
