BJP's Brijendra Singh Switches To Congress: Who Is He And What Led To Pre-Poll Move

The BJP suffered a setback today when MP Brijendra Singh joined the Congress party in Delhi, in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress leader Ajay Maken, among others.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with MP Brijendra Singh as the latter joins Congress.

Source : PTI Images

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Brijendra Singh made a significant political shift on Sunday by stepping down from the primary membership of the BJP and subsequently aligning with the Congress.

Citing "compelling political reasons," he said, "I have resigned from the primary membership of BJP, due to compelling political reasons. I extend gratitude to the party, National President Sh. JP Nadda, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, & Sh Amit Shah for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Member of Parliament for Hisar".

I have resigned from the primary membership of BJP,due to compelling political reasons.
I extend gratitude to the party, National President Sh. JP Nadda, Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi, & Sh Amit Shah for giving me the opportunity to serve as the Member of Parliament for Hisar.

— Brijendra Singh (@BrijendraSpeaks) March 10, 2024

READ | In Major Blow To BJP, MP Brijendra Singh Joins Congress Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls

Singh disclosed that a key concern leading to his departure from the BJP was the alliance between the BJP and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) in Haryana, an issue raised during a rally in Jind on October 2.

"One of the issues raised at the Jind rally on October 2nd was the BJP-JJP alliance in Haryana. A decision was made on it, and that is also a reason (for leaving the BJP)," Singh told ANI.

Who Is Brijendra Singh?

Brijendra Singh, the Member of Parliament from Haryana's Hisar, has a notable background as a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who voluntarily retired after 21 years of service. His political journey began in 2019 when he made his electoral debut and secured victory against notable opponents.

Notably, Singh, the son of former union minister and BJP leader Birender Singh, is the great-grandson of Jat icon Chhotu Ram. Despite hailing from an influential political family, Singh has distanced himself from the label of nepotism. 

"I should not be viewed as the product of nepotism. I come from an influential political family that has been around for over a century. But I'm not joining mainstream politics because I didn't have anywhere to go. I had forged my own path, and I was fairly successful," Singh told PTI ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Apart from his political pursuits, Singh has been actively involved in social issues. Last year, he publicly supported wrestlers protesting against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, showcasing his commitment to justice and ethics.

In 2022, there were reports that Brijendra Singh was considering joining the Aam Aadmi Party. He later denied the rumours, saying he had no plans to join the party.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi welcomed him to the I.N.D.I.A. bloc.

"I'm pleased to see Brijendra Singh ji join the I.N.D.I.A bloc from Haryana. He is an accomplished former bureaucrat and successful MP; his presence will undoubtedly add value to the alliance," she wrote on X.