Jammu, Jan 27 (PTI) A chairman of a block development council (BDC) and five panchayat members joined the Congress here on Thursday, the party said. Sudesh Kumar Sharma, BDC chairman Block Dinga Amb in Kathua district along with two sarpanches, one naib-sarpanch and two panches joined the party in the presence of J-K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief G A Mir at the party headquarters here, it said. Besides, many youths of Hiranagar Tehsil in Kathua joined the party, it added. The party said the new entrants expressed faith in the policies and programmes of the Congress and its leadership including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Speaking on the occasion, Mir said the Congress is fast emerging as the only choice of the people because of its progressive policies and democratic and secular credentials. Secularism is the strength of India and only the Congress can lead the nation to the path of peace, progress and prosperity by strengthening the secular fabric of this country, he said. Mir said that both the central government and the LG administration in J-K have failed to fulfill even a single commitment made with the people and instead brought misery for the common man due to their “wrong” policies. The achievement of the government is that the divisive forces have succeeded in vitiating the atmosphere of peace and harmony in the country, he said. "There is hue and cry everywhere and nobody feels secure under the present regime,” Mir said. PTI AB AQS AQS