As if losing one state after another wasn’t a setback enough, the grand old party of Congress is now facing a unique predicament where its party old guards are combining together to engineer further chaos. According to media reports, the infamous G23 group of dissidents of Congress held a rally in Jammu on Saturday to felicitate Ghulam Nabi Azad on his retirement from Rajya Sabha. However, those keeping a close microscopic eye on the proceedings have dubbed it as a ‘show of strength’ to challenge the party leadership which has become stale and unimaginative in recent times.
As such BJP has the opportunity to use Congress stalwart Azad to make further inroads in the Kashmir valley. Since Nabi’s retirement, the senior Congress leader has been singing songs of praises for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in hushed tones, of BJP.
“I like lot of things about many leaders. I’m from village & feel proud… Even our PM hails from village & used to sell tea. We’re political rivals but I appreciate that he doesn’t hide his true self. Those who do, are living in bubble,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad during the rally.
#WATCH I like lot of things about many leaders. I'm from village & feel proud… Even our PM hails from village & used to sell tea. We're political rivals but I appreciate that he doesn't hide his true self. Those who do, are living in bubble: Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu pic.twitter.com/8KKIYOwzZB
— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2021
Read more: PM Modi tears up, Ghulam Nabi Azad attacks his own party in his farewell speech in Parliament
The bonhomie between Azad and PM Modi was evident in Rajya Sabha where the latter gave a heartwarming, teary goodbye through a speech that could have warmed the hearts of the fiercest of rivals. After Nabi returned the favour by attacking his own party, BJP rolled the red carpet for him during one of the official government events and the rumour mills had a field day fantasising about the prospect of a future move to BJP by Nabi.
While serving as the state Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad commanded unparalleled respect of the public. He was one of the few leaders who outrightly rejected the rising militancy in the region and called out the political opportunists who used it to plunge the valley into a prolonged period of darkness. However, as is the case with most up and coming talent in Congress, the party headed by the Gandhi family swiftly pushed its ‘hara-kiri’ policies and soon Ghulam’s wings were clipped.
Even after being meted such humiliation, Azad kept his head down and remained a staunch Congress loyalist through the thick and thin. However, after PM Modi’s juggernaut uprooted Congress fair and square in 2014 and did not allow the party any breathing space anywhere in the country, Azad finally gave in and raised his voice against the placid leadership of the Gandhi clan.
Last year, heading the G-23 group, Azad shot out an angry letter to Rahul and Sonia Gandhi. The letter, however, got leaked before the annual congress meet and there was a huge controversy with Rahul Gandhi seemingly out for the blood of those who penned the letter.
Reacting in the aftermath of the letter controversy, Azad laid bare his pain of not having any elected bodies in the party and the prospect of sitting in opposition for 50 more years.
“For the last many decades, we do not have elected bodies in the party. Maybe we should have pushed for it 10-15 years ago. Now we are losing elections after elections, and if we have to come back we need to strengthen our party by holding elections. If my party wants to be in opposition for the next 50 years, then there is no need for elections within the party,” Azad had said.
But with the recent rally, the tide has started to change as the Congress high command seems a bit antsy at the prospect of assembling of the G-23 leaders. With Azad uniting with other Congress G-23 stalwarts, there is a greater possibility of him forming a new party and even help BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, where people lack trust in BJP or even the separatist valley leaders like Mehbooba and the Abdullahs.
The risk to reward ratio is high and given that BJP does not shy away from taking the odd risks, it seems like a calculated bet to tie up with Azad and usher a new form of politics in the valley.