BJP national secretary joins Congress in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov. 9: BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh and national secretary S. Thirunavikkarasar joined the Congress on Monday in the presence of senior Congress leaders. The MP who hails from Tamil Nadu said that he had resigned from the BJP as it was “becoming more and more communal.”

The Congress announced the development in New Delhi in the presence of ho-me minister P. Chidam-baram, health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as well as Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K.V. Thangkabalu.

“He has joined our party unconditionally. His admission was approved by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. He is known for organisational skills. His talent will help the party to grow in Tamil Nadu,” Mr Thangkabalu said.

Mr Thirunavukarasar said that he had resigned from the primary membership of the BJP and also from the Rajya Sabha. Speaking at the AICC headquarters he-re, he said that he had joined the BJP because of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee but since his exit, the party had “totally surrendered to the RSS.”

“The state leadership of BJP is not keen on developing the party. Also, it is difficult for the BJP to grow here (Tamil Nadu) by alienating 40 per cent of the population comprising the minorities. Hence, I decided to quit,” he said denying that he switched over to the Congress only to protect his own business interests.

The move was expected since his defeat in the Lok Sabha election in May when he contested from Raman-anthapuram. Mr Thiruna-vukarasar began his political career as a student leader in the AIADMK during the reign of party founder, the late MGR.