Former Law Minister Ashwani Kumar on Tuesday resigned from the Congress after a 46-year association, the latest leader to quit due to dissatisfaction with the party leadership.
Kumar sent his resignation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi this morning, saying he can best serve national causes outside the party fold.
Congress deputy leader in Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma termed his quitting the party as unfortunate and said it is a matter of collective concern.
Other party leaders who are members of the G-23 that has been critical of the Congress leadership on certain issues and has demanded organisational overhaul too expressed sadness over the development.
Kumar leaves in the midst of assembly polls in five states and ahead of the February 20 election in Punjab, the state he represented in Rajya Sabha twice earlier.
The Congress has seen a spate of resignations, the most recent being that of another former union minister R P N Singh
Other prominent leaders to quit the party in the recent past include Jyotiraditya Scindia, Jitin Prasada, Sushmita Dev and Luizinho Faleiro.
'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,' Kumar said in his resignation letter.
'I am accordingly quitting the party after a long association of 46 years and hope to proactively pursue public causes inspired by the idea of transformative leadership, based on the dignitarian promise of a liberal democracy envisioned by our freedom fighters,' the former Rajya Sabha MP also said.
Kuma told PTI that the grand old party had lost touch with the ground reality and no longer reflected the national mood.
He said there was a lack of inspirational leadership and debilitating processes of internal functioning.
'Sad to see a valued colleague Ashwani Kumar quitting Congress. Unfortunate that someone who gave four decades to serve the party has left. A matter of collective concern,' Anand Sharma tweeted.
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda also said on Twitter, 'The news of Sh Ashwani Kumar leaving Congress is sad and unfortunate. He is an old dear friend and one belonging to a freedom fighter's family.'
Punjab's Party MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari tweeted, 'Sad. We had vigorous differences of opinion but in a very civilised manner. Unfortunate that Ashwani Kumar felt compelled to take this call.'
Sharma, Hooda and Tewari are all members of the G-23.
