As 17 political leaders from J&K including some senior leaders from Azad Democratic Party Friday joined Congress in New Delhi, the Congress party on Friday said they had not left the party but they were on leave. “They have joined back today after two months leave from the party,” Congress general secretary in-charge of communication Jairam Ramesh said, thus keeping open doors for others who joined Azad's party in September last year.

While naming the 17 leaders, Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, who is also in charge of J&K, said, ?“It is a big day for us. Just before Bharat Jodo Yatra our stalwarts of J&K are back our home. It is a big thing and we are really happy. January 30 is the most important day for the country as Bharat Jodo Yatra will culminate in Jammu and Kashmir. Farooq Abdullah ji and Mehbooba Mufti ji are joining us. This yatra is a big movement for the country. That is why all those leaders who have left us are joining us back. It is a great moment,” Venugopal said.

With former J&K Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, former JK PCC president Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Balwan Singh returned to the Congress’s fold along with 17 members, it will give a boost to Congress in J&K. “We have spent our whole life with Congress. But in between, we made some mistakes and went haywire. I have been given everything by Congress. We made a wrong decision a few months ago under the constraints of friendship (with Azad). It was a blunder,” Tara Chand said and thanked Congress for accommodating him and others.

Considered loyalists to Ghulam Nabi Azad, all these leaders left Congress to join the Democratic Azad Party (DAP) in September last year.

The crisis started hitting Azad’s party last month when the party expelled leaders Tara Chand, Balwan Singh and former minister of erstwhile J&K State Dr Monohar Lal from the party after accusing them of being in touch with Congress.

Formed in September last year with an aim to create an impact all across Jammu and Kashmir, the Democratic Azad Party after its formation failed to attract other parties into its fold. “I have been with Congress for 50 years. I made a mistake and left the party two months ago. I apologize to all for the wrong decision,” he added.

Salam Nizami, the Azad Democratic Party’s spokesman, calls these leaders "dead wood." “They were deadwood and without a constituency,” Nizami told Outlook. “We had expelled them already as they were not allowing young people to join our party,” Nizami said.

Former legislator and Congress leader G N Monga told Outlook that they were all senior leaders and were holding positions in the Azad Democratic Party. “How come they became deadwood after joining back Congress,” he added. Monga said the Congress party is open to all and has a long history in Jammu and Kashmir with grassroots cadre and during Bharat Jodo Yatra in J&K, people will see the support and strength of Congress.