Page 4 - Ghulam Nabi Azad

Senior leaders are leaving Congress as it has become 'family party': Nadda

BJP national president J P Nadda on Monday said that senior leaders with 40-50 years of association with the Congress are leaving the outfit as it has become a "family party". He claimed that the grand old party is getting weakened as it did not amalgamate regional aspirations with national aspirations and commitments. Without naming Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress days ago, Nadda said, "Senior leaders with 40-50 years of association are leaving the party. It is because they have realised that Congress is now neither a national party nor a regional one. It has become a family party." He also listed out several regional outfits and claimed those too have become "family parties". "The Indian National Congress was such a big party. But now it is getting weakened as it didn't amalgamate regional aspirations with national aspirations and commitments," Nadda said. He gave examples of several states that the Congress had ruled for decades but is now not in power. "The BJP is not

Azad says forced to leave Congress, praises PM Modi for showing humanity

Days after his resignation from the Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad has alleged that he was 'forced' to leave the party, and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'showing humanity'

Ghulam Nabi Azad timed his exit from the Congress for a 'bigger' role

Azad is not known to act impulsively. It would seem his hand was forced by the oncoming Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) elections. Its outcome will set the stage for his national political ambitions

Ghulam Nabi Azad has become 'azad' now: Union minister Smriti Irani

Taking a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Smriti Irani has said that Ghulam Nabi Azad has become 'azad' (free) now but Amethi has been "liberated" long ago. Veteran Congress leader Azad, who ended his five-decade association with the grand old party on Friday, accused Rahul Gandhi of demolishing the entire consultative mechanism and also pinned the blame on him for the 2014 electoral debacle. To a question on Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra and Azad leaving the Congress, Irani told reporters here on Saturday evening, "Congress's own leadership is commenting especially on the Gandhi family, so we do not need to add anything to it. Ghulam Nabi Azad sahib became 'Azad' (free) now but Amethi has been liberated long back." In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in the Amethi parliamentary seat. Amethi was the traditional seat of the Gandhi family and was represented by Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in

Ahead of CWC meet, Congress leaders reject Azad's criticism of Rahul

With Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit casting a shadow on the meeting of the Congress' apex decision-making body, party leaders on Saturday slammed him for "targeted personal vilification" of Rahul Gandhi while the BJP said the veteran leader has raised valid questions. Azad, who ended his five-decade association with the grand old party on Friday, had accused Rahul Gandhi of demolishing its entire consultative mechanism and also pinned the blame on him for the 2014 electoral debacle. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said when the party is preparing to take on the "misgovernance" of the BJP government, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister had not fulfilled his responsibility. "He (Azad) held various posts for over 50 years and now, when there is a need for the country and the party to raise people's issues, this was uncalled for," said Pilot. Asked about Azad's statement blaming Rahul Gandhi's action of tearing up a government ordinance in "full glare" of the media for the loss of the .

Congress a sinking ship, Azad raised valid issues during exit: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said Ghulam Nabi Azad raised valid points while exiting the Congress which is a "sinking ship". Azad has resigned from all positions in the Congress, including its primary membership, by describing former Congress president Rahul Gandhi as "immature" and "childish" and accusing the leadership of "foisting a non-serious individual" at the helm of the party. Speaking to reporters at the Nagpur airport, Fadnavis said the Congress was a sinking ship and people who think the ship cannot be salvaged were taking different decisions. "I think some questions raised by Azad were valid. However, it is their internal matter and I will not comment on it," the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. Azad, 73, who has been associated with the Congress for nearly five decades, also attacked party chief Sonia Gandhi for applying the "remote control model that demolished the institutional integrity of the UPA government" to the

It's Congress that has got 'Azadi' from Azad: Youth Congress president

The Congress party leadership has always entrusted him and stood by his side at times of despair. But alas, he couldn't give back to the party!" Srinivas BV, president of Indian Youth Congress said.

Delhi: Ghulam Nabi meets J-K leaders, set to float his own national party

Several political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday 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."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 will form an alliance with like-minded parties and leaders. All the criticism coming Azad Ji's way will be answered by winning elections,"

Finally, Ghulam Nabiji freed himself: Scindia on Azad's resignation

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday said his former Congress colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad has finally "freed" himself, a day after the veteran leader ended his nearly five-decade-old association with the Grand Old Party. The internal situation of the Congress has been clear for many years now. But in the end, Ghulam Nabiji became free, Scindia, a former Congress leader who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2020, told reporters. Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned from all positions in the Congress, including its primary membership, by describing former Congress president Rahul Gandhi as "immature" and "childish" and accusing the leadership of "foisting a non-serious individual" at the helm of the party. Meanwhile, identifying himself as a BJP worker, the Union civil aviation minister said he was working for nation-building under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Scindia reached Gwalior on Saturday to tour the flood-affected areas in the Gwalior-Chambal region

Azad to launch own party, set up J-K unit within fortnight: Confidante

Former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is all set to launch his own party and its first unit would come up in Jammu and Kashmir within a fortnight, his close confidant G M Saroori said on Saturday. Saroori asserted that the restoration of the pre-August 5, 2019 position of Jammu and Kashmir will be part of the party's manifesto. A former minister who was among several prominent Congress leaders of Jammu and Kashmir who resigned from the basic membership of the party in support of Azad, Saroori said their leader was ideologically secular and there was no question of him working at the behest of the BJP. He also claimed that hundreds of senior Congress leaders, Panchayati Raj Institution members and prominent workers have tendered their resignations after the former chief minister ended his over five-decade-long association with the national party. "Azad is coming to Jammu on September 4 to hold consultations with his well-wishers before the launch of our new party," Saroori, a form

Crack between India, Cong coordination since 1885: Tewari on Azad's exit

A day after Ghulam Nabi Azad's exit from the Congress, party MP Manish Tewari said that a crack seems to have appeared in coordination between India and the Congress that existed since 1885

Ashwini Kumar's prediction on Congress exodus comes true as Ghulam resigns

Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar's predictions turned out to be true as he called Ghulam's resignation 'unfortunate'

Cong names media coordinators for 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', moves on after Azad

The Congress on Friday appointed leaders to coordinate the media activities of the Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the states from where it will pass and said "Azad or no Azad" the organisational machinery moves ahead with determination. Congress media department head Pawan Khera said the party has approved the names of the people who will coordinate the media activities of the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in states from where the "historic" yatra will be crossing. Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra which will traverse from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will start on September 7. "Azad or no Azad, the Congress organisational machine moves ahead with determination. First list of state-wise media & publicity in-charges and coordinators for Bharat Jodo Yatra," Khera tweeted, referring to senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's decision to resign from the party on Friday. "Bharat Jodo Yatra is not an event but a movement to bring together the people, from all walks of life, against the several evils that are ...

Live news updates: India reports 9,520 new coronavirus cases, 41 fatalities

Live news updates: The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 5,27,597

Azad's resignation adds third dimension to forthcoming polls in J-K

Senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad's resignation from primary membership of the Congress after serving the party for 52 years has added an important third dimension to the forthcoming assembly elections in J&K.

Congress's biggest liability is its glorious past

After the 2004 victory, Congress allowed its hangers-on and its own fake Socialist nostalgia to override the most important political argument for the day and years to come

Azad fell into trap of PM Modi, says Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday said he was not surprised by the resignation of his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad as it was clear he had fallen into the "trap" set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had shed tears for him in Parliament. He claimed if Azad (73) had been made a Rajya Sabha member again after his term in the Upper House of Parliament ended last year, he would not have resigned from the Congress. Chowdhury, who is also chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Lok Sabha, was talking to reporters here in the evening after panel members returned from a tour of the Bastar region of the state. Congress leader Azad on Friday ended his five-decade association with the party, terming it comprehensively destroyed and lashing out at former president Rahul Gandhi for demolishing its entire consultative mechanism. Asked about Azad's resignation, Chowdhury said, I am not at all surprised. I live opposite his residence (in Delhi). After the Modi

Regret Azad leaving Congress when it is going through tough times: Farooq

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Friday expressed regret over the resignation of Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress and said he should not have done so when the party was going through tough times. Azad resigned from all party positions on Friday. "I regret it. Ghulam Nabi gave his life to INC. He has worked for it since his college days. He rose to the highest levels in Congress he was a minister in many governments, member of working committee, general secretary. He was a pillar of the Congress party. He was like a family member to Indira, Rajiv, Sanjay Gandhi, Abdullah told reporters here. He said Azad's leaving the party when the Congress is passing through tough times was not good. "Had he left the party when it returned to its route, then it was alright, but leaving it in a vortex is not a good thing to do. Well, it is his decision, I didn't know about it and heard from the media. "I pray that God keep him safe, and pray that he does good work for the people

Azad was trying to "harm" Congress; his exit is no loss: Bhupesh Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel on Friday alleged that senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was trying to harm the party and his exit would cause "no loss" to it

Azad's DNA Modi-fied; his remote control in hands of Modi: Congress

The Congress on Friday launched an all-out attack against Ghulam Nabi Azad after he resigned from the party, saying his "betrayal" of the party leadership reveals his true character and that his DNA has been "Modi-fied". The Opposition party also linked his resignation to the end of his Rajya Sabha tenure and claimed the "betrayal" by Azad in these times shows that his "remote control" is in the hands of Narendra Modi and that the "love" between them had also been on display in Parliament. "First Modi's tears in Parliament, then Padma Vibhushan, then the extension for residence. Ye sanyog nahi sahyog hai (It's not a coincidence, it's a collaboration)," Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet in Hindi. The sharp attack by the Congress and its leaders came within hours of 73-year-old Azad quitting the party after nearly five decades of association with the grand old party. Congress leaders said Azad's observations in the letter were more o