Congress leader RPN Singh on Tuesday joined the BJP in the presence of the saffron party’s Uttar Pradesh in-charge and Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Singh is the second big exit from the Congress in Uttar Pradesh after Jitin Prasada quit last year. Prasada joined the BJP and later became a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. “This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to my contribution to nation building under the visionary leadership & guidance of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi, BJP president Shri @JPNadda ji & Honourable Home Minister @AmitShah ji,” Singh, a former Union minister, had tweeted. The Congress said it is fighting an ideological battle in which cowards can’t carry on.

Former Cong leader RPN Singh (2nd from right) joins BJP, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic/PTI