At a time when the opposition Congress is countering the ruling BJP by holding a mega rally ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol’ at Ramlila Maidan on September 4, Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the grand old party recently, is holding a “Better J&K” rally in Jammu on the same date.
It seems Azad wants to counter Congress on every turf after ending his five-decade association with the party last week. Riding on mass defections in the J&K unit of Congress, Azad said, “I am happy to see people and political leaders across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir coming to us with heartfelt wishes and a very strong desire to make a new beginning.”
In the most sensational exit from Congress in the continuing post-2019 exodus, 73-year-old Azad had alleged that Congress was “comprehensively destroyed” and had reached a point of no return due to the “immaturity” of Rahul Gandhi.
Gandhi, who is attending his ailing mom Sonia Gandhi presently, is scheduled to return back to India to address ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol’ at Ramlila Maidan.
Political observers believe that Azad, a shrewd politician, intentionally chose the September 4 date to hold the maiden “Better J&K” rally, where he is also expected to announce the launch of a new party.
“Azad wants to counter his erstwhile party on every turf. By holding a rally on September 4, he wants to show his strength to Congress and other parties as well. However, everything will depend upon the number of people who will attend his rally,” political analyst and TV debater Majid Hyderi told DH.
Till now dozens of senior leaders of the J&K Congress, especially from the Jammu region, have quit the party to join Azad.
Reports said that the preparations for the “Better J&K” rally were going on in full swing across the union territory as decades-old party structure of Congress is being utilized by Azad now due to the defection of senior leaders from the party.