JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir minister and a founding member of the J&K Apni Party, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, recently joined the BJP at the party headquarters in Jammu. This move comes shortly after the announcement by the election commission of assembly polls in J&K, commencing on September 18. Zulfkar was welcomed into the BJP by Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, and Union Minister of State for the Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh. Prior to joining the BJP, he met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. Zulfkar expressed that he joined the BJP to support the welfare of the ST community and contribute to the progress of the Rajouri-Poonch area. Reflecting on his past involvement in the J&K government, Zulfkar mentioned living in fear and feeling compelled to align with the National Conference for survival. Previously serving as a cabinet minister in Jammu and Kashmir from 2015 to 2018, he oversaw departments such as food and civil supplies and tribal affairs.