Ghulam Nabi Azad springs another surprise, returns to campaign

Ten days ago, he said he was ill, would not be able to canvass and party candidates were free to decide their course of action. After that, several withdrew from the race.

After Azad said he would not be able to campaign, several party candidates withdrew, though some still remain in the race. (File photo)

BARELY 10 days after he announced that he was “unwell”, could not campaign for his Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and advised his candidates to assess for themselves if they still wanted to contest, Ghulam Nabi Azad Monday said he was better and ready to jump into canvassing.

Sharing a schedule of his campaign programme from September 12 to September 15 (the first phase of voting is on September 18), covering rallies in Kashmir and Jammu, Azad posted on X: “With your prayers and blessings, Alhamdullilah! I’m feeling better now. I’ll be starting my campaign for our candidates in South Kashmir and Chenab Valley from September 12th. Join us in our mission to bring back an era of peace and development!”

Azad first told The Indian Express about his illness and inability to contest, the latest twist in the fortunes of the DPAP that has floundered since the former Congress leader and ex-Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister floated it. The coming Assembly elections would have been its first.

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After Azad said he would not be able to campaign, several party candidates withdrew, though some still remain in the race.

Explained

First real opportunity for DPAP

As a party, the DPAP never really took off after its formation in Sept 2022. In the recent Lok Sabha polls, all its nominees — Mohammad Saleem Parray, Amir Ahmad Bhat and G M Saroori — lost their security deposits. The J&K Assembly polls are the first real opportunity for Azad – a former Congress veteran who walked out of the party after revolting against the Gandhi family – to prove his mettle.

As the Congress’s biggest face in J&K, particularly a Muslim face from the Hindu-majority Jammu region, and as a former Chief Minister, Azad held much promise. Which was why the DPAP attracted several top leaders of the Congress at the start. Almost all have now returned to the Congress or are weighing their options as Independents.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the weakened DPAP flopped completely in the Anantnag-Rajouri and Udhampur-Doda constituencies where it put up candidates. Both its nominees lost their security deposits, not managing to take the lead in even one of the 36 Assembly segments in the two parliamentary seats.

Then too, Azad had dealt his party a shock just ahead of the polls by going back on the decision to contest from the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat himself. As a constituency that includes parts of both Jammu and Kashmir provinces post-delimitation, it was an ideal seat for Azad.

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