Senior Congress leader Ashok Sharma resigns

Jammu, September 3

Congress leader and former legislator from Jammu and Kashmir Ashok Sharma on Saturday resigned from the party. The national coordinator of the All India Congress Committee’s ‘Vichar Vibhag’ and a member of the Pradesh Executive Committee stated that he took the “painful” decision due to the “prevailing situation and unavoidable circumstances”. There was no information if Sharma will join Azad but there has been a buzz that he can do so.

His resignation after exits of an ex-deputy chief minister, eight former ministers, an ex-MP, nine legislators and a large number of panchayat members, municipal corporators and grassroots workers from across J&K from the Congress to join the Ghulam Nabi Azad camp.

Meanwhile, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently broke his five-decade-long association with the Congress, will begin his fresh political journey on Sunday from Jammu where he would set up the first unit of his own party.

All preparations have been made for Azad’s first public rally in Jammu, a close aide of the former chief minister said on the eve of the public meeting. Azad would be accorded a grand reception on his arrival from Delhi on Sunday morning, and a procession would accompany him to the venue of the public meeting at the Sainik Colony, former minister GM Saroori said.

Saroori is among over two dozen prominent legislators who resigned from the Congress in support of Azad. Azad is likely to announce the formation of his own political party.

According to GM Saroori, over 3,000 supporters of Azad have expressed desire to join hands with him at the public meeting.