Jammu: Former Jammu and Kashmir minister and a founding member of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, officially joined the BJP on Sunday at the party headquarters in Jammu. This comes shortly after the election commission announced assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir starting on September 18. Zulfkar's induction into the BJP was conducted by Union minister and BJP's Jammu and Kashmir assembly election in-charge, G Kishan Reddy, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, Jammu and Kashmir 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 with the aim of advancing the welfare of the Scheduled Tribe community and promoting progress in the Rajouri-Poonch area. Reflecting on their past political affiliations, he mentioned, "We were part of the government in Jammu and Kashmir but lived in constant fear. We felt compelled to align with the National Conference for survival." Zulfkar served as a cabinet minister in Jammu and Kashmir from 2015 to 2018, overseeing portfolios such as food and civil supplies and tribal affairs.