Former J&K Minister Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali meets Amit Shah; to join BJP tomorrow

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 17 (ANI): Ahead of the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir starting from September 18, former cabinet minister, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, on Saturday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party tomorrow.

Zulfkar told ANI that he will hold a press conference tomorrow about his decision to join the BJP.

J-K BJP Unit said that Zulfikar Ali will join BJP tomorrow at BJP headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.

“Today I met with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding several issues in our area. We had a detailed discussion over the elections (upcoming Assembly elections in J&K) also. About joining BJP, I will speak tomorrow by holding a press conference at 10:30 am,” he said.

Ali also mentioned that as Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory, every party has to work with the Central Government.

“Whether it was PDP or National Conference, they remained part of the BJP. At present, there is a government at the Centre with whom we have to work with as JK is a union territory,” he added.

Earlier today, in a blow to Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad ahead of the assembly polls, former Jammu and Kashmir minister, Taj Mohiuddin has announced his resignation from the party.

Mohiuddin told ANI over the phone that he would rejoin the Congress soon.

Meanwhile, the Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases from September 18 to October 1, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced on Friday.

As per the announcement, the voters in Jammu and Kashmir will cast their votes on September 18, and September 25, and the third phase will take place on October 1, along with Haryana.

The counting of the votes will take place on October 4 for Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

In Jammu and Kashmir, there are 87.09 lakh total electors. Of which 44.46 lakh are male, 42.62 female, 169 are Transgender, 82,590 PwDs, 73943 very senior citizens, 2660 centenarians, 76092 service electors, and 3.71 lakh are first-time voters.

In December of last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024.

Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of ten years as the last assembly election was held in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.