NEW DELHI — The Congress seems divided on the Padma Bhushan award conferred to its leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, party leader Kapil Sibal has come out in open support of Azad after cryptic tweets by Jairam Ramesh.

Sibal tweeted, “Ghulam Nabi Azad conferred Padam Bhushan, Congratulations bhaijan, Ironic that the Congress doesn’t need his services when the nation recognises his contributions to public life”.

After the announcement of Padma awards, Jairam Ramesh taking a cue from the rejection by West bengal former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya took a jibe at his party colleague Ghulam Nabi Azad, who has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Ramesh tweeted on Bhattacharya’s refusal to accept the award: “Right thing to do. He wants to be Azad not Ghulam.”

The Congress division with regards to Azad’s award is witness to the internal rift within the party as Azad was one of the leaders who had raised the leadership issue in the party and had demanded organisational elections.