Ex-BJP candidate, NC city chief join Congress in Jammu

JAMMU: In a boost to Congress, Jammu's NC chief and a BJP leader today joined the party in the presence of party's state chief Saifuddin Soz ahead of the crucial fifth and final phase of polls in the region on December 20.

BJP leader Ram Saroop Sharma and NC's Kali Dass Verma joined the party along with hundreds of their supporters at an election rally in Akhnoor.

Addressing the rally, Soz pledged to address regional aspirations by forming Regional Development Councils.

"Jammu's grievances and their denied rights shall be given due regards", he said and appealed to people to vote for Congress in the Jammu region as well.

He said congress suffered in coalition with the National Conference as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah failed to honour party's commitments on more powers to panchyats, Food Security Bill and other major issues.

He admitted that at the time of forging alliance with the NC, congress could have asked for rotational Chief Minister to enable itself to fulfil its manifesto.

Soz said his party will not allow communal agenda of BJP to succeed in the state.

The BJP will be force to pack up their mission of division of three regions (Jammu, Kashmir and Laddakh) after the assembly results are declared, he said.

Soz was addressing the rally in support of Congress candidate from Akhnoor Sham Lal Sharma. Sharma was also a minister in Omar's cabinet.

Sham Lal said Ram Saroop's exit from BJP has virtually dashed on the ground divisive party's nefarious designs. Saroop had lost the last assembly election.

The polling process will come to an end in Kashmir Valley on December 14 and all the 20 seats going to polls on December 20 are in the Jammu region.