Several J-K leaders from Ghulam Nabi Azad's party re-join Congress, Ramesh slams 'GNA' for 'change' in stance on Art 370 abrogation

New Delhi: Over 20 leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, most of them from Ghulam Nabi Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party, joined the Congress in the presence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge here on Monday.

The Opposition party also attacked Azad, saying "Mr. GNA himself gives new evidence of his DNA mutation by saying 'those opposing Article 370 abrogation ignorant of the situation on the ground'."

"This from a man who led the charge against the abrogation in the Rajya Sabha on Aug 5 2019! I suppose he needs to justify the very generous extension given to him to continue staying in his sprawling bungalow in New Delhi, long after he has exited Parliament," Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

"Earlier this morning, 21 J&K leaders from DAP (Disappearing Azad Party) rejoined the Congress, including one who filed a defamation case against me on behalf of Ghulam Nabi Azad," Ramesh said.

Congress president Kharge, AICC general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal, AICC in-charge of state Rajani Patil and Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani were also present on the occasion.

Yashpal Kundal, an ex-Minister, a two time legislator from Panthers Party and the Chief of the SC/ST and OBC Department of AAP in J-K, was among those who joined the Congress here.

Haji Abdul Rashid Dar, a former vice president of JKPCC who later joined Azad's party, also returned to the Congress fold.

Naresh K Gupta (DPAP), Sham Lal Bhagat (DPAP), Namrata Sharma (Apni Party), Saima Jan (DPAP), Shahjehan Dar (DPAP), Farooq Ahmad  (AAP), Taranjit Singh Toni, Gazanfar Ali, Santosh Majotra (DPAP), Rajni Sharma (DPAP), Nirmal Singh Mehta (DPAP), Madan Lal Chalotra (APNI Party), Hamit Singh Batti (AAP), Ramesh Pandotra (AAP), Vaid Raj Sharma (AAP), Mandeep Chowdhary (AAP), Nazir Ahmed Auqab, Maheshvar Vishwakarma and Jung Bahadur Sharma (DPAP) joined the Congress.

Several leaders, who had left the Congress to join Azad's party after he quit the grand old party and formed his own outfit, have rejoined the Congress since then.