Ghulam Nabi Azad quits Congress, resigns from all party posts

Ghulam Nabi Azad's Rajya Sabha tenure ended on February 9.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad on August 26 resigned from all positions including primary membership of Congress.

“I have decided to sever my half a century old association with the Indian National Congress and herby resign from all my positions including the primary membership of the Indian National Congress,” Azad said in a letter addressed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Azad's resignation comes days after he declined the post of party’s campaign chief in Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite serving eight terms in the Rajya Sabha, Azad, who retired from the Upper House in March, was not renominated to the Upper House by the Congress.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had turned emotional while bidding farewell to Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Rajya Sabha.

“I have known Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad for years. We were chief ministers together. We had interacted even before I became chief minister, when Azad Sahab was very much in active politics. He has a passion not many know about - gardening,” PM Modi was quoted as saying.

In January, the Centre’s call to award Azad the Padma Bhushan sparked a battle within the party with some celebrating the honour while others slammed the senior leader for accepting the award.