Jammu: Two days after former leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not hiding his true self, it was Congress vs Congress here on Tuesday with pro and anti Azad loyalists holding demonstration against each other.
Earlier Congress workers led by Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Shahnawaz Choudhary held a demonstration and burnt the effigy of Azad outside the Exhibition Ground here in protest against latter’s showering praises on PM Modi. Raising slogans against Azad, Shahnawaz demanded the party high command to initiate action against him as his statement was aimed at weakening Congress in the Union Territory.
Pointing out that Congress when in power made Azad a union minister for many years and thereafter chief minister and also the AICC general secretary, Shahnawaz said that he turned a volte face when party came in crisis and needed him. Had he been so much concerned about the party, he should have come to the Union Territory to campaign for Congress candidates during the recently held District Development Council elections, Shahnawaz added.
Soon after they left, Azad loyalists in the Congress including Gourav Chopra and Shoba Ali Choudhary, both corporators of the Jammu Municipal Corporation, reached there and started raising slogans in favour of former leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha. Azad Sahib is a senior party leader, the demonstrators said, demanding action against Shahnawaz Choudhary.
Pointing out that Shahnawaz, a member of the Poonch DDC from Surankote, had contested the DDC polls against Congress official nominee, Gourav said that he was a party rebel and demanded his expulsion from the organization.
J&K Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma, however, refused to comment over the two parallel demonstrations by party workers. He, however, admitted that Shahnawaz had contested DDC elections as an independent against party’s official nominee and the matter was pending before the AICC.
The latter, when contacted, said that he continues to be J&K Congress general secretary and incharge of party’s social media cell. The party’s social media handles are still with me, he said, adding that he had met the party high command soon after his election as DDC member from Surankote as well.