Bringing an end to his four and a half-decade association with the Congress, former Law Minister, Ashwani Kumar, resigned from the party on Tuesday.
In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Kumar, a senior leader from Punjab and known to be close to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, claimed that he would best serve larger national interests outside the party-fold and would “proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership”.
“I have concluded that in the present circumstances and consistent with my dignity, I can best subserve larger national causes outside the Party-fold,” he wrote in the letter.
Thanks Sonia
“I am accordingly quitting the Party after a long association of 46 years and hope to proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership, based on the dignitarian promise of a liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters,” he stated while thanking Ms. Gandhi.
Reacting to the news at a press conference, party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh said, “We feel bad when anybody is leaving the party. But remember that this is an ideological battle and people who don’t have patience or ideological commitment leave”.
‘Existentialist challenge’
Interacting with the media persons subsequently, Mr. Kumar asserted that the Congress leadership had lost touch with the ground, lacked inspirational leadership that reflected the national mood and was now facing an “existentialist challenge” as a national party. He didn’t indicate if he was joining any other party but kept the possibility open.
Sources in the Punjab Congress, however, claimed that he was upset with being ignored by the State leadership, including a request for his son to contest the Assembly elections on the party ticket.
‘Thorough gentleman’
Mr. Kumar found support from BJP leader and the current Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju, who tweeted to say that he was not surprised that the former Congress leader prefers to work for the nation by quitting the Congress.
"He is a thorough gentleman. When we met, he told me that Congress Party is directionless now,"Mr Rijiju said.
Describing Mr. Kumar as a "valued colleague", Anand Sharma, who is part of Congress group of 23 [G-23] reform seekers, tweeted,"Unfortunate that someone who gave four decades to serve the party has left. A matter of collective concern".
Describing Mr. Kumar as a "valued colleague", Anand Sharma, who is part of Congress group of 23 [G-23] reform seekers, tweeted, "Unfortunate that someone who gave four decades to serve the party has left. A matter of collective concern".
Mr. Kumar also found support from BJP leader and current Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju, who tweeted to say that he was not surprised that the former Congress leader prefers to work for the nation by quitting the Congress.
"He is a thorough gentleman. When we met, he told me that Congress Party is directionless now,"Mr Rijiju said.
