Congress leader Vikramaditya Singh quits; cites conflicting views with party on J&K

In another setback to the Congress party, Vikramaditya Singh - the grandson of Maharaja Hari Singh of Jammu and Kashmir and the son of Congress veteran and former Governor Dr Karan Singh resigned from the party, citing conflicting views with the party on critical issues on Jammu and Kashmir. 

Singh, expressing his dissatisfaction with the party tweeted his resignatoin letter,"I hereby tender my resignation from the Indian National Congress. My position on critical issues vis-à-vis Jammu & Kashmir which reflect national interests do not align with that of the Congress Party @INCIndia remains disconnected with ground realities". 

Dissatisfaction inside Congress

Singh's resignation comes, as there is an ongoing debate between political parties on the film - The Kashmir Files - a film based on the genocide of the Kashmiri pandits in 1990 and the resultant exodus of the people from the state. The film has received a tremendous response, from the people and has crossed the 100 crore mark in the first week of release. 

The resignation can also be seen as a reflection of the infighting and difference of opinion among senior party leaders on major issues of regional and national importance. Moreover, there is a debate inside the party on the way forward after the recent debacle in the five state assembly elections. 

The G-23 group, comprising of Congress leaders, unsatisfied with the party's top leadership had engaged in one-on-one and group parleys with the top leadership include Rahul, Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi. Ghulam Nabi Azad also hinted on leaving the party at a public gathering in Jammu, days after meeting Sonia Gandhi, while representing the G-23 group leaders. Recently, senior Congress leader from Karnataka, CM Ibrahim resigned from the party's primary membership over the party's senior leadership giving a blind eye to the grievances raised by him in the last several years.   

In August 2015, Vikramaditya Singh joined Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In October 2017, he resigned as member of Legislative council and PDP over issue of holiday on the birthday of his grandfather Maharaja Hari Singh. He later joined INC. He was Lok Sabha INC candidate from Udhampur Loksabha constituency in 2019 where he lost to Dr Jitendra Singh of BJP.

IMAGE : https://twitter.com/vikramaditya_JK