J-K: National Conference's Kathua district chief, key party leaders join BJP

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 29 : In a big jolt to the Farooq Abdullah-led party in the Jammu region, several prominent leaders of the National Conference, including Kathua district president Sanjeev Khajuria, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Many supporters and district officeholders also made the switch from the National Conference to the BJP on Sunday.
The leaders officially joined the BJP at the party's headquarters in Jammu, where they were warmly received by the party's Jammu and Kashmir Unit Chief Ravinder Raina, along with other leaders.

BJP Jammu and Kashmir posted on X, "Big jolt to National Conference in Jammu region as top leaders of NC led by Sanjeev Khajuria alias Romi Khajuria, senior leader and District President Kathua (Rural) of National Conference who has served the NC party for the last 35 years, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his district, mandal office bearers and hundreds of supporters."
"J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina, accompanied by party General Secretaries Adv Vibodh Gupta Dr Devinder Manyal, senior leader Devinder Singh Rana and former Minister Prem Sagar Aziz, welcomed them into the party fold at the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu," the post said.
ND Tripathi, Vikram DDCs, Bani-Billawar, Basohli, Darshan Singh Thakur DP, Jangbir Singh Chiku Prabhari, Mandal President Billawar Bhubaneshwar Singh, Tilak Raj Gupta, and Professor Kulbhushan Mohtra were also present on the occasion, it added.
J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina highlighted the BJP's commitment to the welfare of the people, irrespective of region or religion, during the programme.
Raina welcomed the new entrants and said that the BJP has worked for the welfare of people, irrespective of region and religion.
He also recalled the names of party stalwarts like Pandit Prem Nath Dogra and others and said that the party has always served the people with a nationalist feeling in the heart.
He said that Praja Parishad, Jana Sangh, and BJP activists have a long history of making sacrifices for the welfare of people and said that earlier, the people had to adopt the path of struggle to achieve their rights and had to take the bullets in their chests.
He hailed PM Modi's governance and said that due to the dedicated efforts of BJP activists led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the union territory has two AIIMS hospitals, ring roads, medical colleges, road networks, rail connectivity, border connectivity, and development.
The BJP leader said that once upon a time, the NC, PDP, and Congress governments only looted the people and the government money, which was meant for their welfare, like houses.
He added that a plethora of schemes, like Sukanya, Golden Health Card, Vishwakarma Yojana, and Kisan Samman Nidhi, are being initiated by PM Modi to uplift the socio-economic status of the people.
Ravinder Raina said that not only in Jammu but also in Kashmir, the people hold the symbol of the BJP in high esteem, having faith in the Modi government.
He said that the BJP has worked for the welfare of every individual from every area, adding that PM Modi has united the whole nation, which has won the hearts of people from every corner.
He also said that opposition parties formed the INDIA alliance to stop PM Modi from doing people's welfare work, but their ill-willed alliance has failed now due to the ever-growing popularity of PM Modi.
Raina further said that Sanjeev Khajuria is a senior politician who has experience from many decades of public service, and the party believes that he will further the mission of the BJP to serve the people and the nation and will leave no stone unturned to gather maximum votes and support for the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP leaders Devinder Singh Rana and Prem Sagar Aziz also welcomed the new entrants and highlighted the BJP's inclusive approach.
Senior BJP leader Devinder Singh Rana said that the BJP welcomes every new entrant with love and soon every new entrant feels himself or herself as a member of the BJP family, which reflects the clear-heartedness of BJP activists.
BJP leader Prem Sagar Aziz said that now the local BJP unit is further strengthened with the joining of Sanjeev Khajuria and added that the development works in the area will be boosted.
Sanjeev Khajuria, who headed the National Conference's Kathua district unit before joining the BJP, highlighted the ground-level impact of the Modi government's welfare schemes and hailed the prime minister's leadership for India's standing on the global stage.
Sanjeev Khajuria said that people benefit from the Modi government welfare schemes at the ground level. He said that PM Modi has made every Indian proud across the borders and the new world order sees India with high hopes now.
The proceedings of the meeting were conducted by Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal.