After poll drubbing, DPDP chief Azad dissolves all party units

After a drubbing in the recent assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairperson Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday dissolved all party units, including state, provisional, district and block committees, along with the panel of spokespersons.

Azad’s secretary Bashir Arif confirmed the development. “We are in the process of appointing new officer bearers. The announcements will be made shortly,” he said.

The DPAP, which contested the J&K assembly elections on 25 seats last year, drew a blank, with most contestants unable to save their security deposits. The party has since been mostly inactive, with its leaders going as far as claiming that Azad has ‘lost interest’ in DPAP.

Azad formed DPAP in September 2022, ending his five-decade association with the Congress. DPAP was eyeing itself as an alternative option to regional parties such as the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The DPAP could not gain any ground in its two electoral outings, losing all three seats it contested in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls as well.

Many of the leaders who came with Azad as he formed the DPAP have returned to the Congress fold. Party insiders say many leaders still in DPAP, including former legislators, are in touch with the Congress high command and ready to make the move.

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress president Tariq Hameed Karra said the leaders who have left Azad are in touch with the Congress.

“We have discussed this issue with the central high command and talks are underway. We will decide after taking each case into consideration,” he had said, citing busy schedules of all parties involved as the reason behind the delay.

However, Azad had later clarified that some leaders claiming they are leaving DPAP have already left the party, even contesting elections against them. “I have left Congress forever and can’t go back,” he had said.