Taj Mohiuddin Calls Leaving Congress a ‘Blunder’, Says DPAP Aligned With BJP

SRINAGAR: In a candid reflection on his political choices, senior Congress leader Taj Mohiuddin has publicly regretted his departure from the Congress party, calling it a “blunder” and squarely blaming the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) for veering towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and alienating its base.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Excelsior, Taj Mohiuddin said, “There were minor local issues, nothing to do with the central leadership, that led to my decision to leave the Congress party. Azad had formed the party, and we thought he could make a difference. But the party itself did not work.”

Taj, who had joined Azad’s fledgling outfit after leaving the Congress in 2022, said he had left DPAP a year ago but observed that the party had increasingly drifted towards the BJP. He criticised the party’s ambiguous stance on Article 370 and its failure to push for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s Statehood. “On Statehood, he could have done something given his influence, but he didn’t,” Taj remarked.

He also pointed to perceptions that the DPAP was a BJP-backed project, especially after Azad joined the Modi Government’s committee on One Nation, One Election, a move which, according to Taj, “reinforced the perception” of political alignment.

“People rejected it—plain and simple,” he said. “The association with the BJP cost us. BJP le doobi —nothing else.”

Reflecting on his own electoral loss, Taj acknowledged that had he remained in Congress, the outcome might have been different. “I got 25,000 votes, but I didn’t get the Kashmiri vote because the party I joined was seen as associated with the BJP,” he said, adding, “Not all decisions are right. What’s meant to happen, happens.”

On whether Ghulam Nabi Azad might return to the Congress fold, Taj was blunt, “He has burned his boats. I don’t think he will come back.”

Taj also recalled his political journey during the most difficult years of militancy, saying, “I’ve faced bullets, grenades, and IEDs… But our workers stood their ground, and we brought Congress to 20 seats. Why not now? There should be more.”

Reaffirming his commitment to the Congress, Taj said the party continues to have a bright future in Jammu and Kashmir, owing to its experience and long-standing ground-level presence. “Leaving Congress was a blunder. The issues I had were not significant enough to justify leaving,” he said.

He also took a swipe at the BJP, calling it “an illusion,” and described the current political set-up as “pathetic,” with an elected Government that has no real power.”

In a related development, JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra, speaking in Kulgam’s Chawalgam at the launch of the party’s ‘Hamari Riyasat, Hamara Haq’ campaign, accused the BJP of isolating India on the global stage, questioning the effectiveness of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy.

Karra also demanded accountability over the recent Pahalgam terror attack, asking why the attackers have not been caught and whether any probe has been initiated. “We’ve not seen any transparency—no investigation, no commission. The Government must answer,” he said.

Karra further questioned the silence of J&K BJP on the restoration of Statehood, saying, “If they support it, why don’t they press their leadership?” He also raised concerns over US interest in Kashmir matters, calling it a violation of the Shimla Agreement.

Speaking at the same event, Congress Legislature Party leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the party would continue to fight for people’s rights. “J&K is the worst victim of BJP’s divisive politics. Innocent lives were lost, yet the Centre spins stories of peace,” he said.