Will announce a new party in 10 days: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Srinagar, Sep 11: Veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who quit Congress recently on Sunday said that he would announce a new political party in 10 days.

Azad has said that his party will fight to restore the statehood of Jammu & Kashmir and the rights of its people.

Azad also said that he will not mislead the people over the issue of Article 370 as only a government with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can ensure the restoration of the provision.

"Some people have been saying that I don't talk about Article 370. I want to tell them that Azad does not befool people for electoral gains," Azad said at the public meeting at Dak Bungalow Baramulla in north Kashmir.

"I swear before God that I will not mislead you. I will not raise such slogans or issues over which I have no control," Azad was quoted saying by PTI.

A party with a two-thirds majority in Parliament can restore the special status of the erstwhile state which was revoked by the Centre in August 2019.

"Congress party hasn't been able to achieve more than 85 Lok Sabha seats in the last ten years. Its strength is decreasing in the Rajya Sabha with every state loss...I don't think the Congress can get over 350 seats in the Lok Sabha elections," he said.

"Where from can I get it? Why mislead people," he added.

During his first public speech after quitting Congress, Azad also said that his party will focus on the restoration of full statehood, and right to land and employment to those with native domicile.

In another rally in Udhampur, Azad said that he will now start on the "unfinished work" which he could not do as chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, when some people withdrew support from his (Congress-PDP) government.

He further said had he known about the heart and mind of "the people" earlier, he would have left the Congress long ago.