Exodus from Congress continues as former J&K chief Peerzada Sayeed joins Ghulam Nabi Azad

The exodus of leaders from the Jammu and Kashmir Congress continued on Wednesday, with former Pradesh Congress Committee president Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed resigning from the party’s primary membership along with 32 other leaders.

Sayeed is the sixth senior Congress leader and third former minister from Kashmir to have offered his resignation from the party’s primary membership in a show of support for disgruntled leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Former legislator Muzuffar Parray also resigned from the party, later saying, “Peerzada Sayeed, me and dozens of other leaders have resigned from the Congress today.”

It is pertinent to note that both Sayeed and Parray had recently attended a meeting involving senior Congress leaders at former Union minister Saif-u-din Soz’s residence. Sources, however, said neither leader spoke at all during the discussion in the meeting.

Sayeed, who has contested from the Kokernag constituency in southern Kashmir in the past, had reduced his participation in party programmes owing to his age and health. Parray, meanwhile, unsuccessfully contested several elections from Sangrama constituency — before being nominated to the legislative council.

In the panel of four names recommended by the Congress’ central leadership, Sayeed’s name was placed second, reflecting his seniority.

As many as 67 Congress leaders, including former ministers and legislators, had on Tuesday resigned from the party. Earlier, around a dozen leaders from both Jammu and Kashmir had left the party in favour of Azad.

All leaders are learnt to be up for joining the new political party being floated by Azad in the coming days.

Azad himself is expected to hold his first public rally since snapping ties with the Congress in Jammu on Sunday. Close aides of the former Jammy and Kashmir chief minister said the IT unit of the new party, which had national aspirations, support, would be established within the coming days.

GM Saroori had earlier told that more than 1,500 party functionaries have resigned from the Congress in support of Azad, quipping, “The Jammu and Kashmir is now Congress free.”

The newly-appointed Pradesh Congress Committee president, Vikar Rasool, meanwhile, downplayed the resignations, saying they will have no impact on the party

“Now youth leaders will come forward and more people are ready to become a part of the Congress,” he said, before lamenting Azad for allegedly working at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party.