In a significant political move, former BJP MLA from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, Durga Dass, joined the Congress on Tuesday, marking a shift in allegiance ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Dass, who had previously won the Assembly polls on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from the Hiranagar constituency in Kathua, made the transition to the Congress along with Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) leader Mohammad Iqbal Dar at a ceremony, as confirmed by a spokesperson of the Congress.
The newcomers were warmly welcomed into the Congress fold by key party figures, including Congress in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir, Bharatsinh Solanki, AICC secretary Manoj Yadav, Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani, and the party’s
Lok Sabha poll candidates Choudhary Lal Singh and Raman Bhalla.
During the event, Solanki emphasized the Congress’s commitment to justice, unveiling the party’s “Paanch Nyay” (five justices) agenda. He criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurances as “false and fake,” contrasting them with the Congress’s track record of delivering on promises.
Solanki highlighted former party chief Rahul Gandhi’s efforts during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, aimed at understanding the grievances of the people and advocating for justice for the common man.
Pointing to the challenges faced by the people of Jammu and Kashmir under the Modi regime, Solanki asserted that it was time for the region’s residents to hold the BJP accountable for their loss of identity, rights, and status. He underscored the Congress’s determination to restore statehood and uphold the rights of the people.
Solanki also expressed confidence in the Congress’s electoral prospects, emphasizing the party’s coalition with the INDIA bloc constituents and other like-minded parties. He vowed to vigorously contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, banking on the support of the people to secure victory and effect meaningful change.