)
Eminent journalist M J Akbar and former Janata Dal (United) (JD (U)) leader N K Singh on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), giving a big boost to its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi ahead of the general elections.
Akbar, who had earlier fought on a Congress ticket and represented Kishanganj in 1989, has, of late, changed his political affiliations to the BJP. Singh had quit the JD(U) on Friday, after he was denied another term in the Rajya Sabha.
“I have come back to politics because of policy (main rajniti me niti ke liye wapas aya hu). The crisis in front of the country is known to all. This is an opportunity to do whatever little we can do for our country,” Akbar said. “It is our duty to join hands with the voice of the nation and bring the country back to a recovery mission. I look forward to working in the BJP,” he added.
Welcoming the senior journalist to the party, BJP president Rajnath Singh said people working in different areas like sports, politics, films and literature have joined the party. “Now, prominent people from media too are accepting the membership of the BJP to give the country a stable government. Akbar is known to be one of the stalwarts in the media and has agreed to join the party. I welcome him,” said Singh.
A one-time close associate of former prime minister late Rajiv Gandhi, Akbar admitted Gandhi was a friend and 20 years have passed since then. Backing Modi, Akbar said no other leader has gone through so much scrutiny as has Modi.
