Awantipora
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said he never thought former party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad would turn out to be a Mir Jafar and alleged that he had been propped up by the BJP to cut the Congress’ votes in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking with sources, while walking in the Bharat Jodo Yatra that is in its final leg in Kashmir and is set to conclude on January 31, Ramesh said the most important thing right now is that Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood be restored and elections be held besides bringing in Ladakh under Schedule VI of the Constitution so that it is governed by elected representatives and not bureaucrats.
He listed Democratic Azad Party chief and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad as part of BJP’s plan to divide votes with others in the list being All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s Asaduddin Owaisi and the Aam Admi Party.
His going from the Congress was part of a Modi-Shah game-plan to cut votes. There are three vote-cutters in India – Asaduddin Owaisi put up by the BJP, AAP put up by the BJP and Azad put up in J-K to cut Congress’ votes. I do not think it is going to happen, Ramesh said.
On whether Azad would dent the Congress’ prospects with his DAP, Ramesh pointed out that most Congress workers and leaders who left with Azad have returned to the party fold.
Asked if Azad can ever make a comeback into the Congress like some of his newly formed party colleagues have, Ramesh said, I have no idea what Mr. Azad’s plans are.
