A prominent business leader in Jammu, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir announced his resignation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying he had joined the party with the hope to seek resolution of the issues faced by the community but returned disappointed.

According to a Kashmir Media Service report on Sunday, Chamber of Traders Federation (Jammu) President Neeraj Anand joined the BJP in October 2022 and was appointed convener of the party’s industry cell in February last year.

‘I have no hesitation in saying that the purpose of joining the BJP remained unfulfilled… I had been authorised by the (federation) working committee to join the BJP in the absence of a political government (in Jammu and Kashmir) with the hope that our problems post the abrogation of Article 370 and the outbreak of Covid would be addressed,’ Anand, who rejoined the trade body as its president, told reporters.

He said the business community felt deeply ignored in the prevailing political system and, ‘after discussions within the federation, we have decided to raise our issues aggressively’ to invite the attention of the newly formed National Conference government.

Anand said the business community of Jammu, which played a vital role in economic development and stability, faced unique challenges that required timely intervention, supportive policies and a proactive approach to ensure sustainable growth and ease of doing business.