Ex-Minister Zulfkar Ali to Join BJP Ahead of J&K Assembly Polls

Former cabinet minister Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali will join the BJP ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. He met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and will hold a press conference tomorrow. Assembly elections in J&K are scheduled in three phases from September 18 to October 1.

In a significant political development ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, former cabinet minister Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali announced he is set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ali met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Saturday, discussing several regional issues, including the upcoming elections.

Speaking to ANI, Ali confirmed his decision and declared he would hold a press conference tomorrow to provide further details. The J-K BJP unit has also confirmed that Ali will officially transition to the BJP at the party headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, Jammu.

Ali emphasized the necessity of collaboration with the Central Government, noting that past local parties such as PDP and National Conference have also worked alongside the BJP.

In another political shift, former Jammu and Kashmir minister Taj Mohiuddin resigned from the Democratic Progressive Azad Party and declared his intent to rejoin the Congress, adding to the pre-election political reshuffling.

The Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases between September 18 and October 1, as per Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar's announcement. The counting of votes will take place on October 4, marking the first election in the Union Territory since 2014.