Ghulam Nabi Azad, who recently broke his five-decade-long association with the Congress, will begin his fresh political journey Sunday from Jammu where he would set up the first unit of his own party. All preparations have been completed for Mr Azad’s first public rally in Jammu, a close aide of the former chief minister said on the eve of the public meeting.
Mr Azad would be accorded a grand reception on his arrival from Delhi on Sunday morning, and a procession would accompany him to the venue of the public meeting at the Sainik Colony, former minister GM Saroori said.
Mr Saroori is among over two dozen prominent legislators who resigned from the Congress in support of Azad.
The 73-year-old Mr Azad is likely to announce the formation of his own political party.
He ended his five-decade association with the Congress on August 26, terming the party “comprehensively destroyed”. He also lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for “demolishing” the party’s entire consultative mechanism.
Since Mr Azad’s resignation, a former deputy chief minister, eight former ministers, a former MP, nine legislators besides a large number of Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members, municipal corporators and grassroots workers from across Jammu and Kashmir defected to the Azad camp.
Hoardings and banners welcoming Mr Azad have been put up at the Satwari chowk along the Jammu-Airport road and in the route leading to the venue of the public rally, where seating arrangements for over 20,000 people have been made.
“All those who resigned in support of Azad will be present at the public meeting,” Mr Saroori, who was busy over the past week in making arrangements for the public meeting.
