Ahead of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, former minister and a prominent Gujjar leader, Choudhary Zulfikar Ali Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu.
According to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), union minister and election in charge G K Reddy along with other senior leaders welcomed him and his supporters into the party fold.
The development comes days after the Election Commission of India announced schedule for assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, starting September 18.
Choudhary Zulfikar, who has previously been associated with various political parties including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has held significant positions like cabinet minister in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.
He was also a founding member of Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party, where he served as vice president. A prominent Gujjar leader, Zulfikar hails from Rajouri and has strong footing in Pir Panjal region.
A day ahead of joining the BJP, he met home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Saturday—(KNO)