Within days after two stalwarts, Devender Singh Rana and Surjeet Singh Slathia quit the National Conference (NC) and joined BJP, two more former legislators including one ex-minister of NC along with hundreds of their supporters joined the Saffron Party on Sunday.
Almost whole units of Jammu and Samba districts of NC have joined BJP recently as Dr. Farooq Abdullah and other senior leaders are finding it difficult to keep their flock together in Jammu province.
Former Minister Prem Sagar Aziz, NC district president Jammu and ex-Deputy Mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Dharmavir Jamwal, NC Jammu rural district president Som Nath Khajuria, NC district president Samba Mohinder Gupta, provincial secretary NC Arshad Choudhary, former MLA Kamal Arora, JMC Councillors namely Sucha Singh and Ashok Singh joined BJP today.
NC leaders continue to desert party after Rana joins BJP
Notwithstanding the brave face present by the leadership of the party, the NC is finding it difficult to keep its flock together after two stalwarts Devender Singh Rana and Surjeet Singh Slathia have joined BJP earlier this month.
Rana, the ex-aide of Omar Abdullah and Slathia, a prominent face of the NC in Jammu province, had joined BJP at Delhi on October 11 at New Delhi.
Devender Singh Rana is known for his organizational skill and his network in all the 10 districts of Jammu province, especially in the Muslim-dominated twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Sources said that BJP would utilize the influence of Devender Singh Rana to make inroads in Muslim-dominated pockets of Jammu province. Rana, who was provincial president of the National Conference before joining BJP, has a strong network in these districts.
Farooq recently visited Poonch to 'placate' annoyed leaders
Realizing that Devender Singh Rana has the potential to lure prominent leaders of the party, National Conference president and former Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah had recently visited Poonch to keep its flock together. Dr. Abdullah held one-to-one meetings with all annoyed leaders to 'placate' them.
We will welcome all like-minded people: BJP
BJP national general secretary and in-charge J&K Tarun Chugh welcomed the prominent political faces and said that for 70 years there was discrimination with many communities like Gujjars, women, refugees, Valmikis but now Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured deliverance of justice to every community.
"The new entrants – whether from the National Conference, Congress or the PDP – are welcome with an open heart and they will be given due respect and rightful position without any discrimination… the injustice which was going on for decades ended when the prime minister abrogated the discriminatory article 370 in August 2019 and bestowed Jammu and Kashmir with real freedom," Chugh said.
He said the gates of BJP are open for all those who want to serve the people and strive hard to strengthen the nationalist forces and the country.
The J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina, in his address, said "the BJP is going to form the next government after the assembly elections on its own and the chief minister will be from our party." He expressed satisfaction over the joining of prominent leaders from different parties.
