5 J&K Congress leaders quit in support of Azad, more resignations likely

Hours after former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad quit the Congress, five senior party leaders including two former ministers resigned the party's basic membership with sources saying more are likely go.

Former ministers R S Chib and G M Saroori, former MLA Mohammad Amin Bhat, former MLC Naresh Gupta and party leader Salman Nizami resigned in support of Azad, sources said.

They said five more leaders are likely to quit including former MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and ex-legislators Haji Abdul Rashid, Chowdhary Mohd Akram and Gulzar Ahmad Wani. Another prominent leader, Muneer Ahmad Mir, is also likely to resign, the sources said.

"Over the years as a member of the Congress Party, it has been my sincere endeavour to work for the betterment of my State - Jammu & Kashmir. I feel that in the prevailing circumstances, the Congress Party has lost its momentum in contributing towards the future of my State. "Keeping in view the turmoil that the State of J&K has witnessed over the past decades, the people require a decisive leader like Azad to guide them towards a better future. I feel that the Congress Party has not been able to play the role that is expected of it," Chib said in his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Saroori, a former vice president of J&K unit of Congress, along with several other leaders met Azad in Delhi before submitting his resignation from the party, the sources said. Most of these leaders, who are seen to be loyal to Azad, are camping in New Delhi.