Senior Congress leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's nephew Mubashar Azad joined the ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday at the party's headquarters at Trikuta Nagar in Jammu.
Addressing the media persons, Mubashar Azad, said that he was "deeply hurt over the disrespect of his uncle by the present Congress leadership in Jammu and Kashmir and the Central leadership".
He said that the way Congress party treated Ghulam Nabi Azad, one of the "charismatic" leaders of Congress party, has hurt the sentiments of the common masses. He stressed that PM Narendra Modi has given recognition to the efforts of former CM, apparently referring to the Padma Bhushan award to Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Mubashar added that while there is total selfish infighting within the Congress party, PM Modi has gained the trust of the common masses and thus "we pledge to stand with PM Modi and BJP in the interest of the society and the nation".
In December last year, Ghulam Nabi Azad, a prominent member of the G-23 Congress group which is seeking sweeping reforms in the party, called himself a "24-carat Congressman" and stated that he was never upset from the party.
G-23 leaders through a letter to interim Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in August 2020, expressed their discontent and urged the top leadership of Congress to bring immediate reforms, including organisational elections from the grass-roots to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) level.
The former chief minister also drew criticism of some party leaders after he said that he does not see the Congress party winning 300 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina accompanied by former MLA Dalip Parihar and BJP ST Morcha President Haroon Choudhary welcomed Mubashar Azad, who was closely associated with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for a long time.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP office Secretary Tilak Raj Gupta, Media Secretary Dr. Pardeep Mahotra and Sanjay Bakshi were also present on the occasion.
Ravinder Raina welcomed Mubashar Azad along with other new entrants into the party fold and said that the parties like Congress, National Conference and Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) "did nothing but to enjoy the luxuries of power."
Raina added that these new entrants led by Mubashar Azad will not only strengthen the party in Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban and other areas but will encourage the youths from the whole region of Jammu and Kashmir to work for the Nation and the society.
( With inputs from ANI )
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