Rajya Sabha member and Congress rebel Chaudhary Birender Singh joins BJP

New Delhi/Chandigarh: Ending his over four-decade-old association with the Congress, prominent Jat leader and Rajya Sabha member Chaudhary Birender Singh on Saturday joined the saffron party in the presence of BJP chief Amit Shah.

A former Haryana minister, Mr Singh had revolted against Chief Minister Bhupender Singh Hooda and was suspended by the Congress for “gross indiscipline” and “deliberately lowering the prestige of the party” on Thursday. Mr Singh was considered an aspirant for the chief ministerial post in Haryana where Assembly elections are scheduled. Mr Singh along with some former MLAs joined the BJP at a rally in Jind which was addressed by Mr Shah.

After joining the saffron fold, Mr Singh, 67, said “The path I have chosen for myself will help strengthen the BJP in Haryana in the next 15 years.” However, a section within the Bhartiya Janata Party’s Haryana unit is concerned over the development as it feels that the number of claimants for the chief ministerial post within the party has only increased. BJP had won seven out of 10 parliamentary seats in Haryana during the general elections and the party is confident that its performance will be “as impressive” as during the Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, at the rally, the BJP chief reiterated his party’s call for a “Congress Mukt Bharat” and sounded confident that his party will get two-thirds majority in the poll bound state. It was Mr Shah’s second meeting in less than three days in the state. Welcoming the rebel Congress leader, Mr Shah said “BJP will not allow any tragedy or a comedy to take place with Birendra Singh.” Mr Shah accused the Haryana CM of playing caste based politics. Mr Singh’s close confidante Jagbir Malik, a former minister, also joined the BJP.