'New Chapter in Political Journey': Congress Heavyweight RPN Singh Quits Party, Joins BJP

In yet another blow for the Congress, which is struggling to keep its house in order ahead of assembly elections, Congress heavyweight and former minister RPN Singh quit the party and joined the BJP ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Announcing the decision on Twitter, Singh shared his resignation letter addressed to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and said he was embarking on a “new chapter in my political journey”. He also changed his Twitter bio to “My Motto India, First, Always”, dropping his Congress credentials.

Later, he shared that he had joined the saffron camp.

Singh, the party’s Jharkhand in-charge, had off late been sidelined in the Congress and fallen off the Gandhis’ radar. He lost the last election from UP’s Padrauna and sources say he is likely to be fielded from the same seat against SP’s Swami Prasad Maurya, who recently jumped ship from the BJP.

A descendent of the royal family of Sainthwar of Kushinagar, RPN Singh has been a loyalist of the Congress Party. He was an MLA from the Padrauna constituency of Uttar Pradesh, just like his late father CPN Singh, between 1996 and 2009, whereafter he was elected as the MP from the constituency in the 15th Lok Sabha election. In the 16th Lok Sabha election, he lost to BJP’s Rajesh Pandey. He has in the Congress regime also served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs.

The leader’s departure will also be a setback for the efforts of UP incharge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is leading the campaign in the state.

Earlier, the Congress lost another big name in UP, Jitin Prasada, who joined the BJP and was also sworn in as a minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet.

A popular Brahmin face, Prasada was also a part of the G-23 group in the Congress that had written a letter registering its dissent with the party leadership.

Considered close to Rahul Gandhi, Prasada in 2019 rubbished rumours of being upset with the Congress leadership and switching over to BJP. He was the second leader close to Gandhi after Jyotiraditya Scindia to switch over to the BJP.

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