‘Consistent With My Dignity’: Ex-Union Minister Ashwani Kumar Quits Congress, Cites Reason

69-year-old Kumar was the Minister of Law and Justice from 28 October 2012 to 11 May 2013. He was also appointed as a Special Envoy to Japan in 2013 by then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar | Photo: AFP

New Delhi: Right ahead of Punjab assembly election 2022 polling day, former Union Law Minister and senior leader in the Congress Ashwani Kumar called off his 46-yea-long association with the party on Tuesday.

Resigning from the party, Kumar in a letter to the interim president Sonia Gandhi said: “Having given my thoughtful consideration to the matter, I have concluded that in the present circumstances and consistent with my dignity, I can best subserve larger national causes outside the party-fold.”

In his letter, the former Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab further wrote that he hopes to "proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership, based on the promise of a liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters." 

"While paying my respectful regards, I thank you for the consideration extended to me in the past and wish you good health in the years ahead," he added.

Reacting on the same, Congress Party National Spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said that Kumar’s resignation would not affect the upcoming Punjab Assembly Polls.

“It is sad that the person with whom there had been a relationship of 40-45 years, leaves. It hurts. The resignation will not affect the Punjab elections,” he said. 

69-year-old Kumar was the Minister of Law and Justice from 28 October 2012 to 11 May 2013. He was also appointed as a Special Envoy to Japan in 2013 by then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.