Former Chief Minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state Ghulam Nabi Azad has been elected the chairman of his newly formed Democratic Azad Party (DAP), a party leader said on Saturday.
A resolution to this effect was passed at a founder members session, which was held both in Jammu and Srinagar, the leader said, adding the decision was unanimous.
Azad, 73, who quit the Congress on August 26, launched DAP in Jammu on September 26 with the support of dozens of former ministers, ex-legislators and other prominent leaders, majority of whom also resigned from the Congress in his support.
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They include former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, former ministers Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, Taj Mohiuddin, G M Saroori, R S Chib, Jugal Kishore, Majid Wani and Manohar Lal Sharma among others.
Azad said that he will fight to restore the statehood of Jammu & Kashmir and the rights of its people. "The first right on the land of Jammu and Kashmir and jobs is that of our people and it's my foremost priority to fight to give my people their right," Azad said.
He added that his party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, and right to land and employment to those with native domicile. In another rally in Udhampur, Azad said that he will now start on the “unfinished work” which he could not do as chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, when some people withdrew support from his (Congress-PDP) government.
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Why did the veteran politician quit Congress?
Azad quit Congress after being associated with the party for five decades. In his resignation letter, he had blasted Rahul Gandhi for being childish and immature. He had also said that a coterie of sycophants of Rahul run the party and senior leaders are sidelined.
(With PTI Inputs)
