Ghulam Nabi Azad has got 'AZADI' from Congress, he should join NDA': Ramdas Athawale

Hyderabad: Union Minister and RPI (Athawale) president Ramdas Athawale has said that Ghulam Nabi Azad has got ‘azadi’ (freedom) from Congress and he should now work with the BJP-led NDA. The RPI leader further said that Congress is fast losing its popularity under Rahul Gandhi's leadership and many leaders are quitting the party.

"Ghulam Nabi Azad has now got ‘Azadi' (freedom) after quitting Congress," Athawale told reporters adding, "he should now work with NDA.” Athawale also predicted that the entire “Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir would eventually go with Azad.”

"I would like to appeal to Ghulam Nabi Azad that you come to our NDA. You should come to NDA for the sake of the development of Jammu Kashmir or the country. If you have to form a separate party. That is good and you have the liberty. But, your party should come to NDA," he said.

Athawale, Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was emotional in his farewell to Azad in Rajya Sabha.

It may be recalled that Azad recently Congress after three decades, accusing Rahul Gandhi of not paying heed to the advice of senior Congress leaders. He also attacked his former party colleague, Jairam Ramesh, accusing him of planting false stories day and night to defame those who have voiced their demand for an overhaul of the party. 

The J&K politician, in an interview with a TV news channel, dubbed Congress media in-charge Jairam Ramesh as a “nobody” in the party whose only job is to "plant stories".

Azad made these remarks in response to a tweet by Jairam Ramesh in which the latter said, "GNA's DNA has been 'Modi-fied'". Along with his cryptic tweet, Ramesh threw hints that Azad may soon join Narendra Modi-led BJP.

The Congress on Monday hit back at Ghulam Nabi Azad, accusing him of justifying treachery and unleashing a slander campaign. "After such a long career, courtesy entirely the party he`s been tasked to slander, by giving interviews indiscriminately, Azad diminishes himself further. What`s he afraid of that he`s justifying his treachery every minute? He can be easily exposed but why stoop to his level?", Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

Earlier, Azad while addressing the media, alleged that he was forced to leave the party. He said that Congress does not respect its leaders and people don`t know much about the work people like him have done for the party. 

Azad also praised the Prime Minister and said, "I understood Modi as a crude man as he is not married and does not have children, but he has shown his humane side when he spoke in Parliament about the incident that happened to Gujarati tourist when I was the Chief Minister."

Azad was responding to his former party`s allegation which said that "he has been Modi-fied". "The party is full of illiterates, especially those who are working on clerical jobs, those who know J&K, I can`t increase one vote of BJP."

He also said that Rahul Gandhi was not interested in politics despite efforts from the party. "It was Rahul who hugged the Prime Minister in Parliament not me", he said and added that since the letter was written in 2020 the party has a problem as no one wants to be questioned.

(With Agency Inputs)