Srinagar: Over a dozen rallies by senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in Muslim-populated regions in Jammu have exposed the rift within the party as Azad loyalists demand change of guard in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress unit.
Azad held more than a dozen rallies which were attended by big crowds and his loyal leaders who have sent resignation to the party high command.
Besides the rift, the rallies gave credence to the speculations that Azad may be launching his political party in Jammu and Kashmir, where parties like NC, PDP are finding it difficult to carry out activities post abrogation of Article 370.
The JK Congress is riven by divisions, as the majority of senior leaders have raised a banner of revolt against the incumbent president Ghulam Ahmad Mir.
Mir, however, played down the lobbyism in the party and criticised the leaders, who are showing loyalty to Azad.
"Only one lobby of Sonia Gandia and Rahul Gandhi exist in Congress. The theatrics of other leaders is not acceptable. Azad is holding rallies as part of the high command decision," Mir told ETV Bharat.
The dissidents are saying that the party under Mir's leadership has weakened in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We lost all the elections from Panchayat to Parliament in Jammu and Kashmir under the incumbent president. He has not been able to take the party cadre and leaders together. That is why we have demanded a change of leadership in the party," former Congress legislator and vice-president G.N. Monga told ETV Bharat.
The party cadre is disenchanted over the rumblings within the party and wants the leaders to unite for putting up a strong show in Jammu and Kashmir.
"All the leaders should leave their interests aside and join together to put a united face for strengthening the party in Jammu and Kashmir and prepare for elections," Sheikh Amir, a young party activist told ETV Bharat.
