Senior Congress leader Birender Singh joins BJP

Senior politician Chaudhary Birender Singh on Friday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after being associated with the Congress for over 40 years.

In a huge blow to the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, Singh decided to change sides ahead of the state assembly polls to be held later this year. "The BJP told me that they would take time to make my appointment public and would give me time to prepare myself. I wanted to first resign from the Rajya Sabha because I did not want any questions raised against me. Now that my resignation has been approved, I can proceed accordingly," Singh told ANI here.

Singh has not moved to the BJP alone. "Many people, some prominent, have made the move with me, including associates from the youth Congress," he added. With the BJP not yet announcing the candidate for the chief minister's post, Singh's shifting sides could be seen as the incentive that swung the deal.