After quitting Congress, former union minister RPN Singh joins BJP

New Delhi [India]: Former Union Minister RPN Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), soon after quitting Congress on Tuesday.

In a major setback to Congress just ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the Jharkhand in-charge and ex-MP from Kushinagar constituency took to Twitter to inform of his joining. "This is a new beginning for me and I look forward to my contribution to nation-building under the visionary leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah," he said after resigning from the Congress party.

Taking to Twitter, Singh posted his resignation letter addressed to Sonia Gandhi, "Today, at a time, we are celebrating the formation of our great Republic, I begin a new chapter in my political journey. Jai Hind."

Notably, prior to the resignation, Singh had also changed his Twitter Bio from: My motto India, First, Always. AICC in-charge, Jharkhand, Spokesperson Congress party, Former Minister of State for Home Affairs, to "My motto India, First, Always."

Congress Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate slammed Singh over his resignation and said, "The battle which Congress party is fighting can be fought only with bravery... It requires courage, strength and Priyanka Gandhi Ji has said that coward people can't fight it."

Kunwar Ratanjit Pratap Narain Singh, popularly known as Raja Saheb of Padrauna was a former Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs. He was an MP from Kushinagar constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha (2009-2014).

The 57-year-old former Congress loyalist from the erstwhile royal family of Sainthwar of Kushinagar (Padrauna) was an MLA from the Padrauna constituency of Uttar Pradesh (1996-2009), just like his father CPN Singh.

Popularly known as Raja Saheb of Padrauna, the Congress party's Jharkhand in-charge, RPN Singh has previously severed as the Minister of State from 2012 to 2014.

However, in the 16th Lok Sabha election, he lost to BJP's Rajesh PandeyThe Doon School alumnus has also served as the All India Congress Committee's Secretary from 2003-2006. (ANI)