Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in May this year, said on Friday that Ghulam Nabi Azad’s exit from the party “is the beginning of the end” of Congress.

Jakhar told ANI that instead of introspecting why senior leaders are leaving the Congress and to look for weaknesses within, allegations are being levelled against them and they are being accused of “cheating” the party.

“It is the beginning of the end, what Mr Azad’s resignation signifies is that Congress had it coming. They perpetuated this situation. It was writing on the wall which they chose to ignore – whether it was Jyotiraditya Scindia, RPN Singh, Jitin Prasada and now Ghulam Nabi Azad,” Jakhar said.

“The remarks I made while quitting Congress, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s letter has put a stamp on those words. What I was saying was right. A circle of sycophants has either surrounded Rahulji or Soniaji. Congress party’s reins have come into their hands. Those sycophants whom people do not even consider leaders, Congress entrusts them to run a national party. So this was expected,” he added.

Azad announced his resignation from the Congress in a five-page letter to Sonia party’s interim chief Gandhi in which he accused Rahul Gandhi of “demolishing the consultative mechanism” in the party and said the entire organisational process “is a farce and a sham”

Rajasthan Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that Ghulam Nabi Azad became a known leader because of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi and no one expected him to write such a letter.

“I’ve no words to express what I feel about his (GN Azad) resignation letter. He served at many positions in the party. No one expected he would write such a letter. Earlier, he had written to Sonia Gandhi when she went to the US for a medical checkup. Congress gave him everything. Today, he is a known leader because of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi,” Gehlot said.

Congress leader Salman Khurshid backed Rahul Gandhi following Azad’s letter.

“Rahul Gandhi is our leader and will remain so. We don’t have a give-and-take relationship with Rahul Gandhi. It’s our duty to do something for the party. It is not mature that people who were associated with the party for a long time leave over such a small thing. It is not that we can’t go anywhere but we will not go and will remain with the party. We see this country’s future with the party and hope that party will rise,” Khurshid said.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said that it is a serious development and will pain all Congressmen.

“I am personally shocked. This situation was entirely avoidable. We were hopeful that there would be serious introspection but unfortunately, that process was subverted,” he added.

Former Congress leader Ashwini Kumar said it is a sad day for the Congress party and for the democracy of the country.

“His resignation is unfortunate. It’s a sad day for the Congress party and for the democracy of the country. Despite it, the party refuses to change and that is why you see senior leaders leave because they feel alienated, humiliated and insulted,” Kumar said.

Azad’s resignation comes and after indications that elections to the post of Congress chief would be postponed yet again. Congress’s top leadership has announced a ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’.

In his letter, Azad also alleged that all senior and experienced leaders were sidelined by Rahul Gandhi.

Azad is one of the group of 23 leaders who were vocal about a leadership change in the Congress and not being dependent on the Gandhi family for every major decision of the party.