To expand its footprints in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, the BJP is all out to “lure” prominent Muslim faces of the belt to achieve the target of emerging as the single largest party in the forthcoming Assembly polls.
Iqbal Malik, eminent Pahari leader and Congress stalwart, is going to join the BJP on Monday. Another woman Muslim face, Shehnaz Ganai, former MLC who had resigned from the National Conference on Saturday, is also likely to join the saffron party. Ganai, who hails from border Poonch district, announced her disassociation with the NC late on Saturday.
As Malik has a strong base among Pahari Muslims of Poonch and Rajouri, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav is especially coming to Jammu on Monday to induct him into the party.