NEW DELHI: Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today hosted a Farewell Lunch for Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad and other retiring Rajya Sabha MPs from Jammu & Kashmir at his residence here.
Retiring Rajya Sabha members Shamsher Singh Manhas, Mir Mohammad Fayaz were also joined by senior Rajya Sabha member and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, MoS Home Incharge J&K V. Krishna Reddy and Lok Sabha Member of Parliament from Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma. Pertinent to mention that the six years term of all the Rajya Sabha members from Jammu & Kashmir is coming to an end during the current session of Parliament and there is going to be no representation in Rajya Sabha from Jammu & Kashmir till the time a Legislative Assembly gets constituted there after the holding of elections. Ghulam Nabi Azad recalled his long association with Parliament beginning from 1980 and also his experiences as Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. He also recalled his political journey beginning from block Bhalesa in Doda.
Fondly referring to Dr Jitendra Singh whom he said he always considered his younger brother, Ghulam Nabi Azad pointed out that both of them belong to the same district of Doda and therefore there was a special and a different kind of bonding between the two. He also referred to some of the development projects undertaken in the region and offered to pay a joint visit with Dr Jitendra Singh and hold discussions with the Union Territory government for expeditious and effective implementation of these projects. Shamsher Singh Manhas spoke of the experience of his six years tenure in Rajya Sabha while Mir Fayaz appreciated the gesture of Dr Jitendra Singh in holding an informal private get together like this in the honour of retiring MPs from J&K.
Dhramendra Pradhan referred to Azad as a leader who had earned the respect of all political parties including that of the people of his native State of Odisha where Azad had worked as Congress General Secretary. Reddy also recalled the days when Azad was Congress Incharge of the southern States.
