![](earlytimesadmin/photo/218202422553979.jpg) Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 21: Even though some leaders of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and J&K Apni Party are desperate to join the Congress party before the Assembly elections, the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi is unlikely to induct these leaders into the party. Highly placed sources said that during the visit of Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, these leaders are likely to meet them but they will not be inducted into the Congress by top brass. “Rahul Gandhi does not want to give importance to these leaders who resigned from the party during the crucial period”, sources said and added that most of the leaders of DPAP and Apni Party, who are desperate to join Congress, had left the Grand-old-Party in 2020 and 2022. Sources said that half a dozen ex-legislators of the DPAP are in touch with the Congress leaders to rejoin th Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will meet many leaders but they will not be taken back into the Congress party. Rahul is in no mood to give importance to these leaders who resigned from the party during the crucial period. Many leaders of DPAP and Apni Party, who had left the Grand-old-Party in 2020 and 2022, are desperate to join Congress back. Half a dozen ex-legislators of the DPAP are in touch with the Congress leaders to rejoin the party. party. “These leaders have expressed their desire to rejoin the Congress in front of Rahul Gandhi but the Leader of the Opposition is not ready to induct them”, sources said, adding, “These leaders would be reinduced into the party into the party by some senior leaders”. After the formation of the J&K Apni Party in 2020, many Congress leaders resigned from the party and joined the party floated by the former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari. Similarly, in September 2022 when veteran politician and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad floated his Democratic Progressive Azad Party, many Congress leaders deserted the party and joined Azad’s political outfit. Within months after the formation of the DPAP, many Congress leaders including Azad’s staunch supporter and former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand returned to the Congress before the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi in 2023. |