Local BJP leader Girdhari Lal Bhagat, who had caused embarrassment to the party after he earlier went against its wishes to file his nomination for the upcoming Assembly polls, today switched loyalties to National Conference.
Bhagat joined the NC in the presence of Jammu-Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abduallh at a big rally in Ramban, party spokesman said.
Omar, the working president of NC, welcomed Bhagat in the party and said this will further strengthen the National Conference at the grass roots level.
Announcing his withdrawal from the contest, Bhagat pledged his support to Ramban NC candidate Chaman Lal, and said he and his supporters would work for ensuring Lal's victory with a huge margin.
On November 3, Bhagat had filed nomination papers from the Ramban seat to contest the upcoming assembly elections, even as the party had not declared his name for the constituency.
The BJP had announced Neelam Langeh as its candidate for the reserve seat of Ramban on November 2 along with 45 other candidates at the central election committee that met in New Delhi.
Langeh had termed the Bhagat's action as "fraud".
Two days later on November 5, the last date of the filing of nominations for the first phase of the Assembly polls in the state, Bhagat had filed his nomination as an Independent candidate.
