In fray for restoring J&K statehood: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Srinagar, April 3

DPAP founder Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said he has decided to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls to carry on his fight for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and for the protection of land and job rights of its residents.

Azad, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, will contest the Lok Sabha polls from Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) announced on Tuesday.

Azad left the Congress in 2022, ending his five-decade-long association with the party, and floated the DPAP.

“There are speculations that statehood will be restored in Jammu and Kashmir but on the pattern of Delhi and Puducherry where the L-G has to approve every decision made by the chief minister and his government. “This is not acceptable to Ghulam Nabi Azad. Perhaps, it will not be acceptable to any Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Gujjar or Pahari of Jammu and Kashmir,” Azad said.

He said he will use his experience as a parliamentarian to get full statehood for J&K.