PDP face in Jammu joins BJP, targets Mehbooba Mufti

श्री सुरेंद्र चौधरी जी का भारतीय जनता पार्टी मे हार्दिक स्वागत/ हार्दिक अभिनंदन pic.twitter.com/KK7KEGSQql

— Ravinder Raina (Modi Ji Ka Parivar) (@RavinderRaina) April 5, 2022

Considered a prominent PDP face in Jammu division and a former legislator, Choudhary in his brief address at the BJP headquarters said, “I have not betrayed the PDP but it was the PDP which betrayed me.”

He said he has not joined BJP for any personal benefit, or under any fear or pressure, but for its policies, love and respect and to strengthen the nation. “We will work to ensure that the BJP forms the next government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Targeting PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Choudhary said that while former chief minister late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was a secular leader, his daughter was pursuing Pakistani agenda. She speaks one thing while in power and another when out of power, he said, accusing Mehbooba of ruining the party.

Choudhary and his supporters were welcomed into the party fold by BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who is also the in-charge of party affairs in J&K.

J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina and other prominent leaders, including former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta and Devender Singh Rana, who left the National Conference last year, were also present on the occasion.

Choudhary joining the BJP assumes significance as it has come at a time when Jats in Jammu division are upset with the party and have accused it of disempowering them politically through the ongoing delimitation process.

The Delimitation Commission in its final draft report has proposed reservation of seven Assembly constituencies for Scheduled Castes, five of which have a considerable population of the community in the border areas of Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.

Apart from being a prominent Jat from Nowshera Assembly constituency, Choudhary is also a refugee from Pakistan occupied Kashmir and enjoys a considerable influence among the refugees as well. During the maiden District Development Council elections, it was due to his support that the PDP managed to win in Nowshera, which is the native place of J&K BJP president Raina.