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Congress’s RPN Singh jumps ship, joins BJP; former party slams move
Addressing the media, RPN Singh, without mentioning the Congress, lamented that the party he was associated with for 32 years is not what it used to be
NEW DELHI: Congress leader and former union minister RPN Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, backing his decision by saying it’s “better late than never”.
Singh, who was the Congress party in-charge in Jharkhand and named as a star campaigner by the party for the assembly elections starting next month, is among several Congressmen who switched over to the BJP in recent months. Along with Singh, Shashi Walia and Rajendra Awana also joined the BJP.
Addressing the media, Singh, without mentioning the Congress, lamented that the party he was associated with for 32 years is not what it used to be. “It is not the same party where I began and it is not the same ideology,” he said, adding that he is ready to work with BJP as an ordinary party worker alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The whole country appreciates the work that has been done by our PM, bringing the old civilisation together with the 21st century,” Singh said, praising Modi.
Singh also revealed that for years people have been asking him to join the BJP. “I can say, ‘der aaye, durust aaye’ (better late than never),” he said.
Also Read: RPN Singh colluded with BJP to bring down Jharkhand govt, says Cong MLA
Singh, who is from Uttar Pradesh, also praised the Modi and Adityanath Yogi governments for brining positive change in the state’s law and order situation.
Earlier, while welcoming Singh into the BJP fold, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said he has been personally pursuing the former Congressman’s switch to the party.
“Since 2004, I was after [Jyotiraditya] Scindia, and told him that he’s the right person in the wrong place. When I met Singh, who was then a minister... I told him that he should be with Narendra Modi and take the country forward. I thank both of them for joining the party as this is a good sign,” Pradhan said.
After the recent exit of Swami Prasad Maurya from the party, an OBC leader and a minister in the UP government, there was speculation that Singh could be fielded to contest against him from Padrauna. Maurya had defeated Singh from the same constituency in the last election.
Apart from Singh, other Congressmen who joined the party include Scindia, now a minister in the union council, and Jitin Prasad.
In response to Singh’s move, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate took a dig at him, calling him a “coward” for joining the BJP and said that “you have to be brave”.
“This battle [against the BJP] can only be fought with courage and bravery,” she said. “Only a coward can jump to a party with completely opposite ideology.”
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra also slammed Singh. Without naming him, she tweeted, “Heavyweight or deadweight? Those who have not won a seat in over a decade moving to BJP on election eve.”
