Senior PDP leader joins JKNPP in Jammu

A senior leader of the PDP on Thursday joined the JKNPP here, third such instance after the previous ruling party decided to boycott the upcoming local urban bodies and panchayat polls in the state.

Capt (retd.) Anil Gour, chairman of the Ex-Serviceman Wing of the PDP, along with other members joined the JKNPP and were welcomed into the party fold by senior leaders led by chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh, a spokesman of the JKNPP said.

He said prominent among others who joined the party included Major (retd.) B D Sharma, Capt (retd.) A S Reen, Bheem Sen Gupta, Krishan Kumar Sharma, S Amarjeet Singh, S Harenderjeet Singh, S Jaswinder Singh and S Harpreet Singh.

A zonal president of the PDP for Gandhi Nagar constituency announced his resignation from the party on Tuesday, while another PDP leader who unsuccessfully contested last Assembly polls on the party ticket from Samba joined the Congress this week.

The JKNPP spokesman said the new entrants expressed faith in the party. He said their foremost reason for leaving the PDP was that after the demise of its founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the party has lost its moorings and strayed away from its ideals.