Senior Congress leader Karan Singh’s son and National Conference leader Ajatshatru Singh on Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
A member of the Legislative Council and grandson of erstwhile ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh, Ajatshatru joined the party in presence of BJP chief Amit Shah on Sunday morning. The party believes his entry would send a strong signal in certain pockets in Jammu region, given the influence the royal family enjoys.
Ajatshatru has been contesting polls from Nagrota seat but failed to make it to the Assembly last two times.
He had won the seat in 1996 and was made tourism minister in the Farooq Abdullah government. He is likely to be fielded from the pocket borough again.
“Singh joining the BJP indicates the trend of thinking in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP’s influence in the state is definitely increasing and I firmly believe in the time to come people will give support for the BJP’s development agenda and nationalistic approach,” Amit Shah said.