Shocked by Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation from all posts of the party, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, on Friday, said in last 42 years it was the Congress party that has given ‘identity’ to Azad who otherwise would not be known in the country and was one of the many young leaders who followed late Sanjay Gandhi’s group as a ‘sycophant’.

“Whatever identity Azad has today in the last 42 years of his career is due to the blessings of late Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and P V Narsimha Rao (all former PMs), and now Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the party president. And now, the way he (Aazad) expressed his feelings is not proper and humane,” Gehlot told the media outside JE Convention Centre where he had gone to address a ‘woman equality function’ here.

“I am shocked and pained by the way Azad (who is my friend) has said in his resignation letter. In the last 42 years, he got everything, every post (RS MP, Minister, and CM of J&K) he wanted, he could not live without a post…now he is giving such a message which is beyond my understanding,” he said.

Elaborating on his contention, he said, “It was not expected from him to write a letter when Soniaji was in Delhi’s hospital, now that she has gone to the USA for a medical check-up, he has resigned. This is not at all a sensitive way. Soniaji has saved and run the party for the last 20 years. The style Azad sab put in his papers is inhumane… against human feelings…and highly insensitive.”

When sought his reaction on Azad’s ‘chaploos’ (sycophant) comments against some leaders moving with Rahul Gandhi, Gehlot said, “There was a time when late Sanjay Gandhi was considered as a separate power in the party, holding extra-constitutional power… Whoever supported Sanjayji, all were ‘chaploos’, and Azad was one of his followers… That is why in the last 24 years Azad assumed such an identity in politics of the Congress party”.

“I was not following Sanjay Gandhi even then, I moved on with the party starting as NSUI president to the three times CM… But I never resigned,” he added.

“Now, RaGa is moving with his style of working and spread his ‘jajam’ (floor carpet) to go ahead with the Congress party, some people may like him, others may not… He (RaGa) may be liked or not liked, the party would go ahead,” Gehlot said.