Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad's nephew Mubashir Azad joins BJP in Jammu and Kashmir

In another setback to Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, the party's youth leader Mubashir Azad joined the BJP on Sunday, February 27. Mubashir, an active Congress leader, is the nephew of former J&K Chief Minister and Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad. He was formally inducted into the BJP today at the party headquarters in Jammu. 

Welcoming the young leader, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said his entry will boost the party cadre in the Union Territory.  Mubashir Azad is the son of Liaqat Ali Bhat, the youngest brother of Ghulam Nabi Azad. The switching of allegiance comes amid reports that elections could take place in the erstwhile state of J&K later this year.

Former JKNC MLAs join BJP

The Opposition parties have suffered major blows in recent months with several legislators deflecting the Bharatiya Janata Party. In October 2021, former Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) leaders Devendra Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Salathia were among the 12 legislators who joined the BJP after quitting the NC. 

Speaking to the media at te BJP headquarters, Rana said, “Jammu also has the right to have a political narrative for Jammu and Kashmir.  There are some people who want to weaken the ethos of Jammu and Kashmir”. He said the BJP would take the people of Jammu and Kashmir forward in the national interest.

Rana, the younger brother of Union Minister Jitendra Singh and provincial president of the National Conference, along with senior party colleague and former minister Slathia, had quit NC on October 10 and joined the BJP in Delhi the next day. A majority of those who joined the BJP, including former legislators Prem Sagar Aziz and Kamal Arora, are considered close to Rana.

Aziz, former deputy mayor Dharamvir Singh Jamwal, provincial secretary Choudhary Arshid, Samba district president Mohinder Gupta, corporator Ashok Manhas and senior workers Som Nath Khajura and Succha Singh had recently resigned from the NC in Rana’s support. 

In November last year, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina claimed that there will be an elected Chief Minister from the saffron party soon. Raina also informed that the Assembly Elections in the Union Territory will be held soon once the delimitation process is over. 

Image: BJP/PTI