Party will decide my role in Assembly elections, no one from my family is contesting polls: Cong's RPN Singh after joining BJP

Former Congress leader RPN Singh who joined the BJP on Tuesday said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will decide on his role in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, adding that no one else from his family is contesting the elections except him.

"No one from my family is in politics. Only I am in politics and I will fulfil whichever role Bharatiya Janata Party chooses for me during the elections. No one else from my family will contest elections," said Singh while speaking to ANI.

"I have joined Bharatiya Janata Party as a party worker for nation-building under the influence of Prime Minister. I want to make it clear that I will fulfil any role as a member of the party for the purpose of nation-building. I will fulfil whichever decision party takes on me regarding the upcoming polls," he added.

Singh termed the trend of Congress leaders leaving their party to join other political opponents as 'sad'.

"No one is leaving Congress over tickets, the ones leaving are those who selflessly served the party for 25-30 years. In fact, our government was there in Uttar Pradesh for over 30 years and people serving the party sacrificed their entire lives for it. It is not only the big leaders, but leaders at the village and district levels are leaving Congress too. There is a rush to leave the party in UP, which is sad," he said.

Responding to Congress leader Supriya Shrinate's comments after his departure from the party, he said, "I don't want to make any personal remarks, may God give them good sense."

Congress on Tuesday unleashed a veiled attack on RPN Singh over his resignation by saying that the battle Congress is fighting only can be fought with bravery, coward people can't fight it.

"The battle Congres is putting up all across the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh is a battle against government resources, its agencies. It's a battle of ideology, truth and to fight a battle as strong pitched as this one you have to fight it with courage and a lot of dedication. I don't think this fight is meant for cowards," said Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate while addressing a press conference.

Responding to Congress's allegations that Singh tried to dislodge the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)-led government in Jharkhand, Singh said that he contributed to bringing the government to power in Jharkhand and the entire state knows it.

"I am an open-hearted person. I have always done clean politics," he added.

On contesting elections from Padrauna in Kushinagar district, he said, "He is not from Purvanchal, Kushinagar or Padrauna so why should I comment on him."

Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Swami Prasad Maurya, who resigned from the Yogi Adityanath government and the ruling BJP ahead of Assembly polls, has joined the Samajwadi Party (SP).

When questioned about how BJP will perform in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls, he said that the party will cross 300 seats in the state.

"In BJP rule, hooligans and hooliganism met its end. Ruffianism that was happening earlier has stopped. There is 'laathi danda', if one does not stay clean, police fix them well. There is a double engine government in UP, Yogiji will make everything right, just stay within the limits of law and order and help in the development of UP," he remarked.

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.

Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7.

( With inputs from ANI )

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