New Delhi, August 26: After the resignation of veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress on Friday said it was unfortunate. Addressing a press conference here, Congress chief spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said that he has read the letter of Azad that has been released to the media.

"It is most unfortunate that this has happened at a time when Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi, Shri Rahul Gandhi and the entire party organisation is involved in fighting the BJP on public issues of mehangai, berozgaari and polarisation and when final preparations are being made for the Mehangai par Hallo Bol rally in New Delhi on Sept 4th and for launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari on Sept 7th," he said.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday resigned from all positions in the Congress party, including its basic membership as was expected following his differences with the party high command. Ghulam Nabi Azad in Resignation Letter: Congress Party Election a Farce and Sham; Rahul Gandhi Immature and Coterie Running the Show.

Azad had earlier resigned as the head of the Congress campaign committee in J&K. This was followed by some of his loyalists resigning from the Congress. In his resignation letter, Azad has accused the CWC members of humiliating him after the G-23 leaders wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi in 2020.

"The only crime committed by the 23 senior leaders who wrote that letter out of concern for the party is that they pointed out both the reasons for the weaknesses in the party and the remedies thereof. Unfortunately, instead of taking those views on board in a constructive and cooperative manner we were abused, humiliated, insulted and vilified in a specially summoned meeting of the extended CWC meeting," he said in his resignation letter.

Azad joined the Congress in the mid 1970s and has held many important positions both in the party and the government. He was a minister in the central cabinet headed by Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P.V. Narasimha Rao and Dr. Manmohan Singh.

Since 1980, Azad was the general secretary of AICC under every party president during that period. He was the chief minister of J&K from 2005 to 2008.

In his resignation letter addressed to party president Sonia Gandhi, Azad said, "You are aware that I had an extremely close relationship with your family from late Mrs Indira Gandhi, late Shri Sanjay Gandhi onwards including your late husband. Ghulam Nabi Azad Quits Congress, Sends Resignation Letter to Sonia Gandhi.

"In that spirit I also have great personal regard for your personal trials and tribulations which would always continue. "Some of my other colleagues and I will now persevere to perpetuate the ideals for which we have dedicated our entire adult lives outside the formal fold of the Indian National Congress".

Azad's parting ways with the Congress is seen as a significant development because of his political clout especially in the Jammu division. He belongs to Doda district.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2022 03:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).