New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS): After Ghulam Nabi Azad launched an attack on Rahul Gandhi and his coterie, the Congress has hit back.

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh on Friday said, "A man who has been treated by the greatest respect by the Congress leadership has betrayed it by his vicious personal attacks which reveals his true character. GNA's DNA has been modi-fied."

Earlier, after the resignation of veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress said that it was "unfortunate".

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Jairam had said, "We have read the letter of veteran Congress leader Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad that has been released to the media.

"It is most unfortunate that this has happened at a time when Congress President Smt Sonia Gandhi, Shri Rahul Gandhi and the entire party organisation is involved in fighting the BJP on public issues of mehangai, berozgaari and polarisation and when final preparations are being made for the Mehangai par Hallo Bol rally in New Delhi on Sept 4th and for launch of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari on Sept 7th," he said.

Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday resigned from all positions in the Congress party, including its basic membership.

Azad had earlier resigned as the head of the Congress campaign committee in J&K. This was followed by some of his loyalists resigning from the Congress.

He has blasted Rahul Gandhi and his coterie for the dismal performance of the party and termed the entire organisational election process a "farce and a sham" as the party is going to decide for the schedule of internal elections. He accused the CWC members of humiliating him after the G-23 leaders wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi.