Ghulam Nabi Azad to float new party after quitting Congress

New Delhi, Aug 26: Veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit the Congress on Friday with a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, will launch a new party in Jammu and Kashmir.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister told news agency PTI that he "will launch a new party soon. The first unit will be in Jammu and Kashmir in view of impending polls".

I am in no hurry as of now to launch a national party but keeping in mind that elections are likely to be held in Jammu and Kashmir, I have decided to launch a unit there soon," Azad, who resigned from the Congress earlier in the day, told PTI.

Azad, who had served as Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Union minister under various prime ministers and the chief minister of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, refused to divulge any further details on the formation of his new party.

Refusing to be dragged into any discussion over his resignation, Azad said, "I have thought about this decision for long and there is no going back."

Soon after his resignation, five Jammu and Kashmir Congress leaders quit in his support.

His resignation comes ahead of the 2024 national election and amid signs that the election of a new Congress chief will be delayed yet again. The Congress is focused towards a "Bharat Jodo Yatra" to be led by Rahul Gandhi next month.