J-K Congress leader Rajinder Prasad resigns; blames 'coterie' system for party's 'demise'

In another jolt to the Congress from Jammu and Kashmir, party leader Rajinder Prasad, who is also the son of late Master Beli Ram Sharma from Nowshera Rajouri, resigned from all posts and the primary membership of the party. Prasad blamed the 'coterie' system for being a reason for the 'demise' of the party.

"The party is today surrounded by a coterie of yes men and parachuters. As a result, they are ignorant of the general public's reality and sorrows, which leads to this big old party's demise," Prasad wrote in his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi.

This came after over 36 Congress leaders including leaders of the National Students' Union of India submitted their resignations in solidarity with veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday. On August 30, another 64 senior Congress leaders resigned from the party, in what to be termed a mass resignation following Azad's exit.

Talking about Azad and his popularity across the country and in Jammu and Kashmir he wrote, "Most significantly, the party has lost a diamond in the form of former Chief Minster Janab Ghulam Nabi Azad Sahib, who has sizable mass support across the entire nation, whose time is known as the "Golden Era," (in J-K) and who served as the backbone of Congress party".

On August 26, Azad resigned from all posts of the party citing the "immaturity" of Rahul Gandhi whom he blamed for "demolishing the consultative mechanism" in the party.

In a hard-hitting 5 page note to interim party president Sonia Gandhi, Azad claimed that a coterie runs the party. At the same time, she was just a nominal head and all the major decisions were taken by "Shri Rahul Gandhi or rather worse his security guards and PAs".

Earlier speaking to media persons in the national capital, Azad said, "I have been forced to leave my home on my own."

Taking a dig at the Congress over his resignation, he said, "Modi is an excuse, they have had an issue with me since the G23 letter was written. They never wanted anyone to write to them, question them." "Several (Congress) meetings happened, but not even a single suggestion was taken," added Azad.

Meanwhile, several political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, on August 27, met veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is planning to launch a new national party. "MLAs from Jammu and Kashmir are here. A few more-some senior leaders and ex-ministers-will come in the evening. Azad Sa'ab said a national party will be formed, we'll begin from J&K and the upcoming poll will be fought strongly. Don't want to reply to comments, we'll reply with a victory," said ex-Congress leader Salman Nizami.

The meeting came within 24 hours of Azad's resignation from all posts in Congress and it holds importance as the polls in the valley are likely to be held later this year.

"Under the leadership of Azad ji we will launch a national party and the work will begin from Jammu and Kashmir. Azad ji will go to J-K and form an alliance with like-minded parties and leaders. All the criticism coming Azad Ji's way will be answered by winning elections," ex-

Congress leader Salman Nizami had earlier announced. The decision to launch a new national party came just hours after the veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, in a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi resigned from all positions of the Congress party including the primary membership.

Several political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir met veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is planning to launch a new national party, a day after tendering resignations from all posts of Congress.

(ANI)

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