Ghulam Nabi Azad who recently parted ways with the Congress, launched his new party - the Democratic Azad Party, in Jammu. Azad said his party will be called as Democratic Azad Party (DAP). He also revealed its flag which has three colours namely, mustard, white and blue. Azad said the DAP will focus on "strengthening" peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. He said party would focus on the restoration of full statehood, right to land, and employment to native domiciles, adding, his party's name symbolises democracy and freedom of speech and thought.
Azad said that around 1,500 names were suggested to him in Urdu, Hindi and Sanskrit. He chose this one which has a Hindustani word. He said the ideology of the party will be based on the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi. The DAP will have "no competition" with any other political party. He was taunted that his new party would ultimately benefit the BJP. The new party comes exactly a month after Azad resigned from the Congress party. Azad was the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and a Union Cabinet minister, ending his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress.
Many prominent Congress leaders in J&K, including former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, had resigned from the Congress in support of Azad. He wanted to start a national party, but the J&K unit was formed as the first priority because elections are likely to be held there in the near future. Azad is set to fight upcoming Assembly elections in the union territory on his own. Until now, he has been maintaining distance from both the BJP and the regional mainstream parties of J&K.
