More NC leaders from Jammu region to join party, says BJP

More NC leaders from Jammu region to join party, says BJP
Source: IANS

New Delhi, Oct 12 (IANS) After enrolling Devender Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Salathia in the party, the BJP is now planning to convince all the top leadership of National Conference (NC) in Jammu region to switch sides.

The BJP leaders hinted that more leaders will join the party from Jammu.

A senior party functionary said that in future more and more leaders of NC especially from Jammu region will join the saffron fold.

"If everything goes well, the NC will be leaderless in the Jammu region in future. Many top NC leaders are in touch with us and more will follow them," he said.

Rana, brother of union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, and Salathia joined BJP on Monday after ending their long association with the National Conference. On Sunday, both the leaders resigned Afrom NC.

Following Rana and Salathia, 17 NC leaders from Jammu region resigned from the party which included provincial secretary, district presidents and others. A party leader said that mass exodus has started in the NC and in future they will be leaderless in the Jammu region.

"Yesterday, 17 NC leaders resigned and more will follow as they are unhappy with the way the NC government had mistreated the Jammu region," he said.

A saffron party insider claimed that at local level, joining of NC leaders is going on and now big names will also join the BJP like Rana and Salathia.

When asked whether more NC leaders will be joining the party, BJP Jammu and Kashmir co-incharge Ashish Sood told IANS that everyone who believes in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies are welcomed in the party.

"Everyone who believes in Prime Minister Modi's policy and is ready to follow them are welcomed in the BJP," Sood said.

Sood further stated: "Those who have witnessed piped water supply at each household of their polling booth, houses delivered to common man under PM Awas Yojna and influenced with the work under the Modi government are welcomed. Those willing to work to make Jammu and Kashmir a developed state are welcomed," Sood added.