The political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is heating up as the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) faces off against the Congress party ahead of the Assembly elections in 2024. The tension between the two parties reached a boiling point when J&K Congress leaders started spreading rumors that the DPAP chairman, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and his party members were planning to join Congress.
However, the Azad Party chief spokesperson, Salman Nizami, quickly refuted these claims in a statement, declaring, “Rumors are being spread by Congress leaders of Jammu & Kashmir for the last two weeks that Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad and his party is joining Congress.”
Nizami went on to clarify, “It is also being spread that Mr. Azad was approached by the Central Congress leadership to join the Congress Party. As chief spokesperson of DPAP, let me make it clear, on behalf of the party Chairman, that ever since Mr. Azad has left Congress Party, neither Mr. Azad has approached any congress leader nor any congress leader has ever approached Mr. Azad directly or telephonically.”
Calling the rumors “totally baseless and false,” Nizami launched a scathing attack on the opposition, accusing the Congress of trying to sow confusion to divide the DPAP.
Warning against misinformation, Nizami urged all Azad Party leaders and workers to avoid falling into the trap of these false claims. He also shared that Ghulam Nabi Azad himself has asked the media not to give any credence to these rumors.
As the political drama unfolds, the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir general Assembly elections are set to take place in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The voting will be spread across 90 seats, with the counting scheduled for October 4.
The Election Commission announced the election dates on Tuesday, August 16, revealing that 87.09 lakh voters, including 42.6 lakh women, are eligible to cast their ballots this year.
