Over two dozen Gujjar and Bakarwals join BJP in Jammu

Over two dozen prominent persons of Gujjar and Bakerwal communities, including village heads, joined the BJP on Monday here, a party spokesperson said.

The new entrants, hailing from different areas of the Gandhi Nagar assembly constituency, were welcomed to the party fold by former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta, he said.

Those who joined the BJP included three panch and two naib sarpanch, the spokesperson said, adding that they pledged to strengthen the party at the grossroots level.

"The parties like National Conference, Congress and PDP took full liberty to enjoy the privileges of the power corridors, but did nothing to empower this most important pillar of democracy," Gupta said.

He said it was only the Modi-led government that took "substantial steps" to make sure that the democracy is strengthened at the basic level in the state.

Gupta claimed that the policies of the BJP leadership were being appreciated by one and all and that is the reason that almost daily, active social and the political personalities were coming forward to embrace the party to serve the masses.