A day after quitting NC, Devender Rana, Surjeet Slathia join BJP

Rana, who was a key aide of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, said he joined the BJP because of the party’s positive response to his efforts to set a “Jammu narrative” through “Jammu Declaration” .

Former National Conference leaders from Jammu and Kashmir, Devender Singh Rana and Surjeet Singh Slathia joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi on Monday in presence of Union ministers Hardeep Puri, Dharmendra Pradhan and Jitendra Singh.

Devender Rana and Surjit Silothia join the BJP in presence of Union ministers on Monday. (ANI Photo)

Rana, who was a key aide of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, said he joined the BJP because of the party’s positive response to his efforts to set a “Jammu narrative” through “Jammu Declaration” . Rana has been trying to bring Jammu region’s intellectuals, civil societies, leaders and members of trade & commerce together to further the interests of the region.

Rana said he spoke to all political parties on the need for a political narrative emerging from Jammu and strengthening the ethos of Jammu and Kashmir and the country. “Time has come to have a Jammu narrative, a political narrative, after all it was the Dogras, it was maharaja Gulab Singh, who carved out the state,” he said.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the BJP has always ensured development of Jammu and Kashmir.