JAMMU: In a major jolt to the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), many senior leaders including the former ministers reportedly have submitted their resignations from the prominent party positions to the AICC president Sonia Gandhi. Meanwhile BJP has described the ongoing squabble within Congress leaders in Jammu and Kashmir as party’s collapse in the state.
In a latest political development ahead of speculations about assembly elections in Jammu Kashmir Union Territory may soon be announced, the J&K Congress is sailing on troubled waters as many senior leaders reportedly have resigned from the party positions.
Earlier the fissures within party came to fore on February 28, 2021 when Jammu city became the battleground of the Congress party's internal politics as the 'G-23' faction led by party veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad assembled to showcase their strength to the party high command.
Now a battery of Congress leaders having allegiance to former Chief Minister and veteran stalwart Ghulam Nabi Azad reportedly have resigned from respective party positions expressing resentment over incumbent JKPCC president Ghulam Ahmed Mir in protest against not providing them opportunity of their involvement in the party affairs.
As per party sources, among those who resigned include senior Congress leaders from Jammu as well as from Kashmir valley, former Ministers and Legislators, have submitted joint resignation from all posts to All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Sonia Gandhi, AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and Rajni Patil, AICC Incharge Secretary for J&K as well.
Prominent among those, who have submitted the resignation, included G M Saroori, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Waqar Rasool, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Naresh Gupta, Subash Gupta, Amin Bhat, Anwar Bhat and Inayat Ali. However all attempts to contact them to get their comment remained futile.
"In the resignation letter sources said, “The leaders have alleged that under the presidentship of G A Mir, Congress is heading towards disastrous situation and more than 200 top Congress leaders, including former Minister, MLAs, MLCs, PCC office bearers, District Presidents and AICC Members have resigned from the party till date and have joined other parties.
They added that the polls can be announced any time and in such a situation, it will almost be impossible for the Congress to make a strong comeback in the J&K politics.
They also claimed that they have been requesting the Congress high command since long demanding change of guard for the presidential post but no heed was paid.
"The request was also submitted to the AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi during his Jammu visit last month but despite that, the submission was not considered on a serious note thus prompting these senior leaders to tender resignation from the prime posts, sources added.
Reacting to the mass resignations from Congress Party by its senior leaders, the senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday said that ongoing squabble among Congress leaders in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will soon result into its collapse as factionalism is ruling the roost in the century old party.
In a statement issued in Jammu, the senior BJP leader said that the Congress is dying its own death as the party has gone haywire due to leadership dearth and mishandling by the dynast helmsmen controlling its affairs.
He said that the reports coming out with regard to Ghulam Nabi Azad’s loyalists handing over resignations to high command, quitting from vital party positions in favour of their leader shows that the leadership in J&K has lost confidence of the party men which include senior functionaries like former deputy CM and ministers.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said that the revolt against incumbent party president clearly speaks of the dwindling position of the party in J&K thus giving an indication that soon it will be rooted out completely with no signs remaining on ground.
