Former Home Secretary RK Singh joins BJP

NEW DELHI: RK Singh hardly masked his discontent with the UPA government's security policy when he was home secretary. So, it was no surprise when he joined BJP on Friday. "My orientation only matches BJP as it is the only party that does not compromise on national interest...parties like Congress, SP and JD(U) indulge in vote-bank politics but not BJP. I am also on the same wavelength as RSS which takes a hard nationalistic line," Singh said.

It was always not like this though: Last January, Singh faced BJP's ire for saying that 10 arrested terrorists had links with RSS. He was apparently backing Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on 'saffron terror'. The bubbling new politician defended himself on Friday: "The saffron terror remark was made by Shinde. I never spoke of Hindu terrorists. I have said terror has no colour."

While retiring in June, Singh said he wished a career in politics. As Home Secretary, his line on the Ishrat Jahan case matched BJP's. He followed this by criticising Bihar government for 'failing to secure' Narendra Modi's Hunkar rally. Singh had also made a case for amending SPG Act to cover Modi.

Ahead of possibly being fielded as a candidate from Aarah, Singh spoke like a seasoned politician. "Nitish Kumar has lost credibility and will not win more than 4 seats." He defended arresting LK Advani during his Rath Yatra, saying he was doing his duty. Singh also justified not joining the Aam Aadmi Party, saying it was not in a position to remove Congress that has 'perpetrated scams'.

An official reasoned that Singh had a grouse: "Shinde disliked Singh's hawkish style of working and appointed Anil Goswami as an OSD in the ministry nearly two months before Singh's retirement to send him a signal," the official said. The proud Rajput seems to have hit back.