GHULAM SEEKS HIS AZADI

Political motives, over-lapping and separating, always in a flux, hardly follow the narrow and straight. The latest development to rock Jammu and Kashmir politics—the exit of veteran leader and former J&K chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress on August 26—traces precisely such a surprising arc.

- Moazum Mohammad

As Azad announced the floating of his own national outfit, there began an exodus of former legislators and party workers from the Congress, leaving it denuded of leadership in Jammu and Kashmir. As many as 36 leaders have quit the party to join Azad. Starting his political journey from Jammu, where he addressed a rally on September 4, Azad received a rousing reception and announced his as-yet-unnamed party’s main agenda: restoration of J&K’s statehood and land rights to locals—both annulled along with Article 370 in 2019—as also employment for native domiciles.