Blow to Congress amid polls as former Union minister Ashwani Kumar quits party | Latest India News

NEW DELHI: Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar quit the Congress party on Tuesday. In a letter to Congresswoman Sonia Gandhi, Kumar said he “has concluded that under the present circumstances and in accordance with my dignity, I can better serve broader national causes outside the party fold.”

Kumar’s exit is the latest in a series of exits from Congress and comes amid assembly polls in several states.

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma, Jitin Prasada and RPN Singh are among those who left Congress in recent years and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). There was speculation that Kumar might also follow suit.

Kumar spoke of his 46 years of association with Congress. He added that he hopes to “proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of ​​transformative leadership, based on the worthy promise of liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters.” He thanked Gandhi for his “considerations” in the past and wished him the best of health.

Kumar was justice minister when the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government faced corruption allegations. His attempt to verify a Central Bureau of Investigation report into the coal block allocation scandal, which was being investigated under the supervision of the Supreme Court, created controversy and resulted in his exit as as minister. Later, he was appointed special envoy to Japan.