Azad-led DPAP launches membership drive in J&K

Jammu, Mar 22 (PTI) The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) on Wednesday launched a membership drive with the aim to expand its political outreach across Jammu and Kashmir.

The drive was launched by founder Ghulam Nabi Azad in presence of hundreds of party workers and senior leaders here.

“The aim of launching this mega membership drive is to carry on our political agenda and make people understand about being part of DPAP’s political journey,” Azad, former chief minister of the erstwhile state, said while addressing the workers.

He launched his own party in September last year after ending his more than five-decade-long association with the Congress.

“Even though we have many regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, forming DPAP was the need of time since no other political party could meet the expectations of people.

“When I was visiting Jammu and Kashmir, I could see the frustration of people who were feeling dejected by the political class. They were feeling unheard and helpless. So, I decided to create a political platform in the form of DPAP for these people,” Azad said.

He said DPAP will always raise the issues of common people unlike other political parties who, he claimed, believe in “political elitism”.

“It is a party formed by common citizens and it is aimed to serve the common people and take up their grievances,” the DPAP chairman said.

He said DPAP is leading from the front when it comes to public issues.

“No other political party fought like us against the forcible land eviction by the government, while we also took a firm stand against the decision of JKSSB for selecting APTECH. There are so many issues we raised and it will continue,” Azad said.

Hundreds of office bearers, including all the district presidents, took a pledge to reach out to every person in the union territory to inform them about the party’s political agenda.