New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS): Several former ministers and MLAs of Jammu and Kashmir, including Yashpal Kundal of the AAP, Haji Abdul Rashid Dar of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) joined Congress here at the residence of party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders said on Monday.
Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Vikar Rasool Wani said that every day people from every district of Jammu and Kashmir are joining the party.
Several prominent leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party and the DPAP and others joined the Congress.
They were inducted into the Congress at the residence of Kharge, where party general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal, Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Rajani Patil, J&K unit chief Wani were also present.
According to party leaders 21 leaders joined the Congress on Monday.
The leader said that Kundal, an ex-Minister and two times Legislator of the Panther Party, who was the Chief of the SC/ST & OBC Department of the AAP Party in Jammu and Kashmir joined the Congress. Kundal is from the Ravidas community and hails from the Samba area of J&K.
Dar, a former General Secretary, DPAP and two times Congress Legislator, former Vice-Chairman of J&K Handicraft with MoS status, former Vice-President, J&K PCC also joined the Congress.
Even Working Committee member of Azad’s DPAP, Naresh K. Gupta also joined the Congress. He was also vice-president of DPAP Jammu Province. Gupta is a two time Congress MLC and former District President of Doda, which is the home district of Azad.
DPAP’s General Secretary of Jammu Province Sham Lal Bhagat and also from Azad’s Doda district joined the Congress. He is a former Congress MLC (PRIs) and comes from the SC community.
From Apni Party (Altaf Bukhari) its former provincial president Namrata Sharma also joined the Congress. Saima Jan, DDC Member, Chadura, of Badgam district and former Provincial President of Women Wing of Azad’s DPAP also joined the Congress.
Besides them other prominent leaders who joined Congress included Shahjehan Dar, DDC Member, former prominent leader of DPAP, Professor Farooq Ahmad (Aga) former Director, SKUAST, former State Chairman, Grievances and District President, AAP, Taranjit Singh Toni, DDC member from Sachetgarh (won against the ex-BJP Minister), former Chairman of AAP Minority Cell of the state, former President, J&K National Conference Youth Wing, former President, Jammu Student Union, Gazanfar Ali, a senior retired KAS Officer and worked in various senior positions in J&K government, who has a strong influence on the youth and Shia community too joined the grand old party.
Besides them, Santosh Majotra, State Secretary, DPAP, ex-Secretary, JKPCC (three times), Rajni Sharma, Provincial Secretary, DPAP, Nirmal Singh Mehta, Zonal Secretary, DPAP, Madan Lal Chalotra, State Coordinator, APNI Party, Hamit Singh Batti Jat Leader (AAP), Ramesh Pandotra, Retd. SP., SC Leader AAP, Vaid Raj Sharma, AAP senior leader, Mandeep Chowdhary, J&K Youth Vice President, AAP, Nazir Ahmed Auqab, Chairman, Maheshvar Vishwakarma and Jung Bahadur Sharma, Joint Sec. DPAP joined the Congress.
Azad had floated his own DPAP last year in September last year month after he quit the Congress after being associated with it for over five decades.