17 leaders of Jammu and Kashmir returned to Congress
17 leaders of Jammu and Kashmir returned to Congress: Azad had joined the party two months ago, Venugopal said – all of them went on leave
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that a total of 19 leaders of Jammu and Kashmir were to rejoin the Congress on Friday, but only 17 leaders were able to come to Delhi and join.
17 leaders of Jammu and Kashmir rejoined the Congress on Friday. These include former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and former PCC chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed. He is the same leader who had joined the Democratic Azad Party (DAP) of former Chief Minister and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad two months back. During this AICC General Secretary, KC Venugopal was also present.
Welcoming the leaders, Venugopal said it is a happy day for the party as they have returned home ahead of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which will enter Jammu and Kashmir after two weeks. He said that Bharat Jodo Yatra has become a big movement in the country, which is why all these leaders have decided to come back to Congress.
The Congress leader said that this is only the beginning and when the yatra is entering Jammu and Kashmir, all people with the ideology of the Congress and those who want a united India will join the party. I think he went on leave for two months. Asked whether any talks were on with DAP chief Ghulam Nabi Azad to return to the Congress, Venugopal said he himself denied any such talks.
Party leader Jairam Ramesh said that a total of 19 leaders were to join the Congress on Friday, but only 17 leaders were able to come to Delhi and join. This is the first phase and others will join soon. When asked the reason for these leaders leaving the Congress, Tara Chand said – We were carried away by feelings and friendship and left the party in a hurry.
On being asked why he joined Congress again, he said – Congress party gave a ticket to a poor man like me, made him MLA, made him CLP leader. We are back in the Congress party. At the same time, Peerzada said that I have been in Congress for 50 years, worked in various posts, and been a minister 4 times. I had made a mistake, I got emotional and I could not sleep for almost two months.
Asked whether Azad has been invited for the visit. On this, Venugopal said that those who believe in the ideology of the Congress are welcome in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. We have invited all like-minded parties to join the yatra. Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti will join the yatra and walk with Rahul Gandhi in Srinagar.
