In huge Cong revolt, Ghulam Nabi Azad, others resign from key posts

new delhi: Long upset with the party, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has resigned from a key party post in Jammu and Kashmir, signalling a revolt within. He stepped down from the post of the chairman of the party's campaign committee shortly after his appointment. He has also resigned from the party's Jammu and Kashmir political affairs committee.

Sources indicated that Azad saw the appointment as a demotion as he is already a member of the party's all-India political affairs committee. A veteran leader, he is also a former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state, served as a union minister and held many important party posts. He was also one of the group of 23 leaders who wrote an explosive letter to party chief Sonia Gandhi two years ago, seeking organisational changes.

His resignation came shortly after his close aide, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, was dropped from the post of the chief of the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit. Mir had stepped down last month.

The party had effected a thorough organisational shake-up in the Union Territory and appointed Vikar Rasool Wani in place of Mir.

Sonia Gandhi had also formed the campaign committee, political affairs committee, coordination committee, manifesto committee, publicity and publication committee, disciplinary committee and Pradesh election committee with immediate effect, reported news agency Press Trust of India.

The Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held after the finalisation of electoral rolls and completion of the delimitation exercise. There is, however, concern that the polls cannot be held this year as delimitation and electoral rolls revision cannot be completed before the deep winter sets in.