Former Home Secretary R.K. Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday. Mr. Singh, a 1975 batch IAS officer from the Bihar cadre, retired from his post on June 30 this year after a two year tenure.
Mr. Singh was welcomed into the party fold by party president Rajnath Singh, amid indications that he could be up for a party ticket in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
On his decision to join the party, Mr. Singh said he agreed with the BJP's policies on issues of national security.
Sunil Shastri, son of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, former Petroleum Secretary Raghav Sharan Pandey and retired railways official Dharam Singh were also inducted formally into the BJP.
Mr. Shastri who has quit the Congress to join BJP said in his opinion the country needs Narendra Modi as Prime Minister. He also accused the Congress of undermining the legacy of leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri.
R. K. Singh who had played a key role in the arrest of L. K. Advani in 1990 during the peak of Ayodhya movement when his 'rath yatra' had entered Bihar said he was “carrying out his duty” then.
"People who have served the country with distinction have decided to do their bit when it is in trouble. Today is just the beginning. You will see many more such people joining BJP in days to come," Mr. Rajnath Singh said commenting on the new inclusions.
