The book release function of the veteran politician Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad had all the trappings, intentional or unintentional, aimed at the elusive Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
Mr Azad the former chief minister of the erstwhile state, and the hero of the show, Dr Karan Singh, former Sadar-e-Riyast of the state and veteran Congress leader as the chief guest. And seated in the front row another former chief minister, key political player and National Conference patriarch Dr Farooq Abdullah.
Completing the settings for a total Jammu and Kashmir, now the Union Territory, backdrop was the venue, Teen Murti Bhavan, itself.
After all it was the official residence of India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who stayed here for 16 years till his death. To be subsequently converted into a museum.
A Kashmiri Pandit, he was in the centre of action and directly handled Kashmir affairs during the turmoil of 1947-48 leading to its accession with Indian state. The history of accession remains incomplete without him both from his admirers, or critics -Sangh Parivar (BJP included) – perspective. So, the significance of the venue though, of late, its character has been changed.
‘Azaad’- the autobiography of Mr Azad, currently chairman of his newly floated J &K-centric regional outfit Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) provided the opportunity to create such an ambience in the heart of Delhi.
The April 5, 2023 book release was preceded by series of interviews granted by him to different sections of the media ostensibly as part of the publisher’s strategy to create a hype.
And rightly too given Mr Azad’s stature and long political innings as a Congressperson and his new found love for rebellion- a trait which was alien to his persona all these decades.
But what surprised the most was his tirade against the party that gave him political identity professing secularism. Suddenly, he discovered that Muslims have no future in Congress and cannot think of becoming its president.
Certainly, music to the ears. And certainly it did not create political ripples and instead an act of ridicule.
Notwithstanding the bonhomie and the oft-mention of personal and family ties by Dr Singh, Dr Abdullah and Mr Azad which, ostensibly, brought them together for the event, expectedly the political connect specifically from J and K point of view, completely went missing. Not that it was either the right place or occasion to talk politics, but certainly an opportunity to drop the right signals. But that was not to be.
Although Mr Azad left much to the realm of speculations regarding his future plans in Jammu and Kashmir except asserting that his DPAP will have no pre-poll alliance, two explicit observations made by him in his pre-book release interviews in some ways played the spoilt sport. Firstly, his wholesome praise for Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi describing him as a “statesman” and “too generous”.
Secondly, he left everyone guessing on the issue of a post-poll alliance with BJP. “I do not think that in Kashmir Valley I am going to join hands with any political party…..” On the possibility of a post-poll arrangement with BJP, he said, “Post…… nobody knows. One does not know what will happen after death………”, he vaguely left it that but open to speculations.
“I must give credit to Mr Modi. For what I did to him, he was too generous. As Leader of the Opposition, I did not spare him on any issue be it Article 370 or CAA or Hijab. I got some Bills totally failed but I must give him the credit that he behaved like a statesman not taking revenge for that,” Mr Azad qualified his observation regarding Mr Modi’s generosity.
The first inference that could be drawn from his observations regarding no poll-alliances in the Valley, is that the DPAP under his tutelage could be open to poll pacts in the BJP dominated Jammu region where the saffron party is facing huge anti-incumbency.
With Congress almost ruled out and Farooq Abdullah’s Valley-centric National Conference banking heavily on Muslim majority support, Mr Azad’s public expression of cordiality with Mr Modi, could make his friend Dr Abdullah cautious. On his part Mr Azad is seeking to have his share in this majority support base.
While Dr Abdullah quietly witnessed the proceedings sitting among the audience, the nonagenarian and worldly wise Dr Singh – perhaps the lone surviving witness to the political turmoil particularly in Kashmir since 1947- traced his close family ties with Azads.
Amidst the pleasantries which the two leaders exchanged in their respective addresses, the erudite Dr Singh, true to his stature and experience, had a word of advice for Mr Azad filled with caution.
Tracing Mr Azad’s long political journey and recollecting how he had worked in (Dr Singh’s) Lok Sabha elections in 1967 and 1971 as a young Congress worker and the relationship continuing ever since, the former Sadar-e-Riyasat (President of the state) of J and K said now Mr Azad is heading a regional party.
“He is an experienced and cool-headed person. He must have taken decision to float a regional political party after due diligence. But Azad sahab my experience says it is very difficult to run a regional party. Nevertheless, my best wishes to you,” in came his advice that left many including Mr Azad’s supporters guessing.
Mr Azad’s unsparing criticism of Mr Rahul Gandhi and describing him as the sole reason for him to part ways with Congress after five decades, made it amply clear that probably it was one of the main reasons that created circumstances for him to write an autobiography. Had there been no G23 (grouping of rebel leaders headed by him within the Congress) leading to his leaving the party, there would, ostensibly, been no ‘Azaad’.
How much Mr Azad might have wished, the Rahul Gandhi factor repeatedly cropped up during his interviews as well as during the book release function. Fact of the matter is that he, whether knowingly or unknowingly, got lot of media traction for his book release owing to this factor.
It seemed he has now drawn the battle lines more clearly. He was even more elucidative to define his political preferences in an implied and true traditional political style.
Since the DPAP is struggling hard to find feet with Election Commission still to allot an election symbol, it will be interesting to see how Mr Azad marshals all his political acumen, which he claims helped strengthen the Congress, to firmly root his new party.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.