Jammu, Apr 03: Over the past two months, an impressive fifty thousand individuals spanning the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marking a significant surge in party membership. Among the recent entrants are former ministers, ex-legislators, notable figures, and key influencers within the community.
The Jammu and Kashmir BJP, gearing up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, launched a comprehensive ‘joining drive’ spanning two months, spearheaded by a six-member committee. This committee, led by former minister Balwant Singh Mankotia, witnessed his own transition into the BJP after departing from the Panthers Party.
Today, the two-month-long drive concluded, amidst a notable influx of prominent personalities and political figures, accompanied by their supporters, into the BJP’s ranks.
Former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Vibodh Gupta told Rising Kashmir, “The momentum of people affiliating with the BJP gained considerable traction, particularly following the recent visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.”
Noteworthy additions to the BJP fold during this period include former National Conference (NC) MLC Shehnaz Ganai, former NC minister Mushtaq Bhukhari, alongside numerous other influential figures from across Jammu and Kashmir, along with their extensive support bases.
While the formal joining drive may have concluded, expectations remain high as many prominent figures express intentions to align with the BJP in the run-up to the 2024 Parliamentary elections, as indicated by J&K BJP General Secretary Vibodh Gupta. Mankotia echoed this sentiment, affirming that a steady stream of prominent politicians and influencers are expressing interest in joining the BJP.
“We have been approached by several prominent politicians and influencers seeking to join our ranks,” Gupta remarked, underscoring the strategic advantage of such alliances in bolstering the BJP’s prospects of securing Lok Sabha seats in the forthcoming elections.
