Rahul Gandhi has demolished all the consultative mechanism in the Congress, and the “remote control” culture that damaged the United Progressive Alliance was brought into the party, said Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad in his resignation letter on Friday that ended his nearly 50-year-old association with the party.
Launching a scathing attack on Mr. Gandhi, Mr. Azad said the Congress had been “comprehensively destroyed”, adding that the party had reached this state because it wanted to “foist a non-serious individual on the party for the past eight years.” In his resignation letter sent to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Azad alleged that she was merely “a figurehead and all decisions were taken by Rahul Gandhi or his personal assistant and security guards.”
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who is considered to be a front-runner in the party’s presidential race, said Mr. Azad’s resignation at a time when Ms. Gandhi was away for treatment in the U.S. was “inhuman and insensitive”.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communication Jairam Ramesh said it was “most unfortunate and regrettable” that Mr. Azad chose to send this letter when the entire Congress was taking on the BJP government on the issues of price rise, social polarisation and political divisions through its BharatJodo Yatra and MehangaiPar Halla Bol rally.
A few other Congress leaders, who chose to be anonymous, linked Mr. Azad’s ‘letter bomb’ to the coming Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir, in which he would participate by floating his regional party and could eventually tie up with the BJP.
Alleges BJP slant
Suggesting that Mr. Azad was getting close to the BJP for sometime now, Mr. Ramesh said whether it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tearful farewell for Mr. Azad in the Rajya Sabha, honouring him with a Padma Vibhushan or giving an extension to his Lutyen’s bungalow, the signs were visible. “A man who has been treated with the greatest respect by the Congress leadership has betrayed it by his vicious personal attacks which reveals his true character. GNA’s DNA has been modi-fied,” he tweeted.
In his letter, however, Mr. Azad cited insults and sidelining of seniors by Mr. Gandhi and his coterie as the reason for his departure. “...unfortunately after the entry of Shri Rahul Gandhi into politics and particularly after January 2013, when he was appointed as vice-president by you (Sonia Gandhi), the entire consultative mechanism which existed earlier was demolished by him,” Mr. Azad said.
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Veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday said he would launch a new party soon and that its first unit would be set up in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am in no hurry as of now to launch a national party but keeping in mind that election is likely to be held in Jammu and Kashmir, I have decided to launch a unit there soon,” Mr. Azad said.
The former J&K Chief Minister refused to divulge any further details on the formation of his new party.
Refusing to be dragged into any discussion over his resignation, Mr. Azad said, “I have thought about this decision for long and there is no going back.” PTI
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