Lok Sabha elections: Seven Army veterans join BJP

Seven retired officers of the armed forces joined the BJP on Saturday in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Seven retired officers of the armed forces, including two former deputy chiefs of Army staff, joined the BJP on Saturday in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Photo: BJP

NEW DELHI: As the Lok Sabha elections in the country are underway, seven retired officers of the armed forces, including two former deputy chiefs of Army staff, joined the BJP on Saturday in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Sitharaman welcomed them in the fold of the saffron party at the party headquarters saying the presence of such senior ex-servicemen who have served the nation benefits the BJP. "They can guide on policies on national security and nation building," she said. Lt Gen JBS Yadav and Lt Gen S K Patyal, ex deputy chiefs of the army staff, joined the party. "Ex soldiers, too, want to serve the country. We may have retired but we are not tired," Yadav told reporters here. He said the country is in "safe and able hands" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Former director general of military intelligence Lt Gen R N Singh, former director general of army's information services and IT Lt Gen Sunit Kumar, and Lt Gen Nitin Kohli, who has served as the signal officer-in-chief at the Army headquarters also joined the party. Colonel R K Tripathi, who has served as judge advocate general corps headquarters, and Wing Commander (retd) Navneet Magon, a former Air Force medical services doctor, also joined the BJP.

Seven veteran officers join BJP in the presence of Smt. @nsitharaman at BJP HQ in New Delhi. #ModiAaneWalaHai pic.twitter.com/hua5Vb5ZJZ

— BJP (@BJP4India) April 27, 2019

Earlier this month, Former vice chief of army staff Lieutenant General Sarath Chand (retd) had joined the BJP. Sarath Chand was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in June 1979 and retired as vice chief of Indian Army on June 1 last year. Also, many celebrities from the film and entertainment industry have been joining political parties in the poll season. Singers Daler Mehndi and Hans Raj Hans and actor Sunny Deol joined the BJP this week. Actress Urmila Matondkar joined the Congress last month. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. So far, voting has been completed for three of the seven phases. Polling was held on Tuesday for 117 Lok Sabha seats spread across 15 states and Union Territories in the third phase. In the first two phases, election was held to 91 and 96 seats on April 11 and April 18 respectively. Polling for the fourth phase will be held on April 29. (With inputs from PTI)