 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 22: While all political parties have started campaigns for the coming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, leaders of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) are in a dilemma as their party supremo has virtually gone into hibernation.
After the declaration of the results of the Lok Sabha elections, Ghulam Nabi Azad has not addressed any public meetings nor interacted with party workers or leaders.
Although DPAP has supported Engineer Rashid on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, the party failed to get respectable votes on three Lok Sabha seats namely Udhampur-Doda, Anantnag-Rajouri, and Srinagar-Budgam.
Leaders of Azad’s party are trying to give the impression that their party played an important role in the victory of Engineer Rashid but it is an open secret that DPAP has no role in Engineer Rashid’s victory on the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat. Highly placed sources said that the morale of the DPAP leaders and workers has badly shattered after the Lok Sabha elections and they are finding it difficult to revive the morale.
As reported earlier, some leaders of the DPAP have expressed their desire to rejoin the Congress but the latter remains unresponsive. Congress appears to be in no rush to accept them back without carefully considering its political factors.
Sources withi After the declaration of Lok Sabha election results, Ghulam Nabi Azad has not addressed any public meetings nor interacted with party workers or leaders.
DPAP leaders and workers are badly shattered after the Lok Sabha elections and they are finding it difficult to uplift the morale.
Some DPAP leaders have expressed their desire to rejoin the Congress but the latter remains unresponsive.
Congress appears to be in no rush to accept them back without carefully considering all the factors.
These leaders feel stifled by their continued association with DPAP, which they now view as a defunct and non-operational political entity. Their eagerness to leave is driven by the absence of Ghulam Nabi Azad, who initially inspired them but is now politically inactive and showing no direction for the upcoming Assembly polls.
A Congress leader confirmed that discussions are ongoing about readmitting at least six leaders from both Kashmir and Jammu regions. However, those who were particularly critical of Congress leadership in their loyalty to Azad may not be welcomed back.
Azad and DPAP’s alleged inclination towards the ruling BJP has significantly reduced their vote bank and support base. Despite this, some veteran leaders retain their political strength, making their return to Congress a serious consideration.
The final decision will depend on Congress’s position during the Assembly polls and the performance of loyal aspirants. While DPAP leaders await a pproval, the final call will be made by Congress leaders in New Delhi, in consultation with local leadership. | 