Will Congress stalwart prefer to remain Azad

Joining of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by Mubashir Azad who is nephew of Congress stalwart and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir before BJP state president, Ravinder Raina in Jammu on Sunday has raised many questions as to whether senior Azad would also join the saffron party or the joining of his kin is mere coincidence. If happenings in Kashmir are widely based on conjectures, then Azad’s joining BJP is sure so far as presumptions are concerned. Azad who heads the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir as its chief minister from 2005 to 2008 is considered as one of the successful CMs of the newly carved out Union Territory as he not only ruled the erstwhile state as a responsible CM but also played a pivotal role in the development of the erstwhile state. It would surely be a win-win situation for BJP if senior Azad joins the saffron party and at the same time would be a major jolt for the Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir which goes through serious internal crises at the moment. BJP works day to night to have its own CM in Jammu and Kashmir; the saffron party also constitutes Delimitation Panel to redraw new bounders for Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the Union Territory to ensure its victory in elections which as per Union Home Minister are likely to be held after the Delimitation Commission completes its work. The joining of Ghulam Nabi Azad will certainly help BJP to have the upper hand in Assembly elections but will BJP nominate Azad as the next Chief Minister or not? BJP which rules the country since 2014 is hell-bent on a Hindu CM in the UT. Azad has headed the country as Union minister during the Congress regime, however, it is being widely speculated that the Congress party does not pay much heed to Azad which is believed to be the only reason for Ghulam Nabi to join BJP against which he still leaves no stone unturned criticize it being the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha. The happening would surely be interesting if Azad joins the saffron party before parliamentary elections scheduled to be conducted in 2024 when BJP tenure will come to end.