Azad's supporters in Bhaderwah upbeat at new party decision

Srinagar, Aug 31 (IANS) Former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's supporters are upbeat in his hometown Bhaderwah in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, days after he resigned from the Congress and announced launch of his own party.Most supporters of Azad in Bhaderwah say they will always side with him and it does not matter whether he is representing the Congress or some other political party."Azad saab has always worked for the people of Bhaderwah. Even when he was in Delhi, he never forgot the people of this area," said a local businessman."We have always followed Ghulam Nabi Azad, he is our leader, it hardly matters to us whether he is with the Congress or some other political party," a local politician, who had been associated with the Congress and is now backing Azad, said.Some former Congress leaders like Naresh Gupta, a former legislator from Bhaderwah, who has now resigned to join Azad says the region's interests are served better under Azad."Twelve leaders of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir were seeking to get an appointment with Rahul Gandhi for last three years but failed to do that," Gupta said.Azad contested and won the Assembly elections from Bhaderwah with a record margin after becoming Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister in 2006.He, however, lost the parliamentary elections from Udhampur constituency, of which Bhaderwah is a part of to Jitendra Singh of the BJP in 2014.
--IANS zi/vd

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