Congress steps up attack on Azad ahead of Yatra reaching J&K, goes on a spree to induct DAP leaders

As the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra nears its last leg, set to take place in Jammu Kashmir, so increases the surge of DAP (Democratic Azad Party) leaders joining Congress. Formed by erstwhile Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and aimed at eating into the grand old party's votes, DAP on Tuesday lost 59 more senior leaders who joined the Congress fold, writes ETV Bharat's Amit Agnihotri.

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday stepped up its attack on former leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and inducted 59 more senior leaders from his Democratic Azad Party in Jammu. The induction comes days after 17 senior DAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and former JKPCC chief Peerzada Mohamad Syed, had joined the Congress on January 6 in New Delhi.

The grand old party plans to further target Azad and will take more leaders from his party in Srinagar on Wednesday. “I welcome all those who have joined us today. I want to assure you that you will get respect in Congress. They had gone away from us on leave but are now back,” AICC in charge of Jammu and Kashmir Rajani Patil told the leaders in Jammu.

“We are making everyone free (Azad) and allowing them to join our party. These people have joined us today to strengthen the yatra in Jammu. More DAP leaders will join us tomorrow in Srinagar. A team led by former deputy chief minister Tara Chand is reaching Srinagar besides a second team led by former Gujarat unit chief Bharat Sinh Solanki for this purpose,” she said.

Taking a dig at Azad, Congress communications in-charge Jairam Ramesh termed DAP as the “Disappearing Azad Party” as he hinted about some more inductions in Srinagar on January 18, a day before the yatra will enter the border UT. Upbeat over the inductions from the DAP, the grand old party is now trying to ensure that the final leg of the nationwide yatra turns out to be a big success.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge has invited over 20 like-minded parties for the concluding rally in Srinagar on January 30 when Rahul Gandhi will unfurl the Indian flag and later address a big rally along with several key opposition leaders. The conclave is likely to convey a message of opposition unity.

“The workers are charged up. Jammu and Kashmir is the last leg of the yatra. Rahul Gandhi will enter J&K at Lakhanpur on January 19. Local leaders of smaller parties will join the yatra. NC leader Farooq Abdullah will also come to Lakhanpur. Later, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, Leftist leader MY Tarigami and Awami League leader Mohammad Shah will also come,” said Patil.

The J&K in charge said she had been flooded with calls over the safety and security of the yatra from across the state units. “I got several calls from the party leaders whether the yatra will be successful in Jammu and Kashmir. But I tell them that the J&K leg would be the most successful part of the yatra,” she said.

Interestingly, both Tara Chand and Peerzada Syed, who had termed their leaving the grand old party as a big blunder and had apologized for siding with Azad, are playing a key role in preparing for the J&K leg of the yatra.

Azad had a 50-year-long successful stint in the grand old party but ditched the Congress on August 26, 2022, only to set up his DAP in October, which aimed to cut into the grand old party’s votes.

The parting was bitter as Azad spared then-party chief Sonia Gandhi but blamed Rahul Gandhi for the various problems within the Congress. Before that, he had emerged as the leader of sorts of the G23, a group of senior dissenters who had demanded thorough reforms in the party.