Blow for NC as Union Minister Jitendra Singh's brother Devender Rana jumps ship to BJP

In a boost to BJP's chances in Jammu and Kashmir, ex-National Conference leaders Devender Singh Rana and Surjit Singh Salathia joined the saffron party on Monday. The brother of MoS PMO Jitendra Singh, Rana has served as an MLC for two terms and has also been elected to the Nagrota Assembly constituency in the past. After serving as the political advisor to former J&K CM Omar Abdullah, he became the president of NC's Jammu unit in 2011 and held this position till October 10 when he quit the party.

On the other hand, Salathia is a former Minister who was an MLA from the Vijaypur seat. Both these leaders switched allegiance to BJP in the presence of Union Ministers Hardeep Singh Puri, Jitendra Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan, the party's J&K in-charge Tarun Chugh, former Deputy CMs Kavinder Gupta and Nirmal Singh and the party's J&K president Ravinder Raina. Welcoming Rana and Slathia into the party fold, Singh highlighted PM Modi's special focus on the development of J&K. 

The MoS PMO stated, "He spent his first Diwali after becoming the PM in Kashmir Valley with the flood-affected victims. From that day onwards till now, Jammu and Kashmir was given importance in the development journey of New India under the leadership of PM Modi. Apart from the coronavirus period, Modi Ji has always travelled to Jammu and Kashmir in 2-3 months." 

Stressing that the Dogra community should have a narrative on J&K, Devender Rana remarked, "I pursued the Jammu declaration and tried to ensure that a political narrative is shaped about an inclusive Jammu and Kashmir from Jammu. This narrative should be from Jammu but be applicable to the entire Jammu and Kashmir. When I gave the final touches to the Jammu declaration, I talked to all parties, civil society and intellectuals. There was a difference of opinion within the party. BJP- Ravinder Raina and my other colleagues who are sitting here contributed. The BJP national leadership was also very forthcoming on the Jammu declaration." 

Defection from NC

While NC president Farooq Abdullah accepted the resignations of Rana and Salathia, the NC refused to offer any further comment. Speaking to the media a day earlier, the two leaders said, "It is our belief that the Jammu declaration, representing the people of Jammu and Kashmir, will strengthen Jammu and Kashmir and strengthen India and because of that we have changed our political path". On January 30, Rana had proposed the ‘Jammu declaration’ which aimed at forging unity and reinforcing trust between diverse communities and regions of J&K.