Jammu, Aug 07: Four former legislators and a sitting district development council member from Jammu & Kashmir are set to join Congress on Monday in New Delhi.

Sources said that former MLC Naresh Gupta, ex-MLA Yash Pal Kundal, former MLA Haji Abdul Rashid, former MLC Sham Lal Baghat and several other leaders including Taranjeet Singh Tony (DDC member) are set to join Congress today. Three of these former legislators were with Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP). The exit is seen as a major setback to DPAP-led by Ghulam Nabi Azad which was formed by him after quitting Congress.

Sources said that Congress has opened channels of communication with its different leaders who had deserted the party after August 5, 2019.

“We are hopeful of the return of these leaders,” a senior Congress leader said.kno