Veteran Congress leader and son of last Dogra Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir Dr Karan Singh (83) and his son Ajatshatru Singh are likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday. Seen as greatest achievement of BJP strategists, who are eying for a 'Mission 44' in Jammu and Kashmir, the presence of scion of Dogra clan will complete polarisation of Hindu votes in Jammu region in favour of the party. His father last Maharaja Hari Singh signed instrument of Accession on October 27, 1947 with Union of India. Out of the 37 seats in Jammu region, out of total of 87 member assembly, 22 seats are in Hindu belt, which could be easily swayed by the BJP with the blessings of the royal Dogra family.
Dr Karan Singh, head of World Hindu Council, is also member of Rajya Sabha from Delhi. In 1949, at age of 18, Singh was appointed as the regent of the state after his father stepped down as the ruler, following the state's accession to India. He served successively as regent, the first and last Sadr-i-Riyasat, and governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 1965 to 1967.
In 1967, he resigned as governor and became the youngest-ever member of the Union cabinet. From 1967 to 1984 Karan Singh was a member of the Lok Sabha. In 1984, he contested the Lok Sabha polls as an independent candidate from Jammu but lost the election. He was a member of the Rajya Sabha first representing J&K National Conference from November 1996 to August 1999. Following differences on autonomy proposal approved by the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in 2000, he resigned from the National Conference and re-joined Congress.
His son Ajatshatru Singh is a small time politician unlike his father. The NC patron Dr. Farooq Abdullah had fielded him from Nagrota on the outskirts of Jammu in 1996 and appointed him a minister. He is currently MLC on Congress ticket.
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