Congress's Tom Vadakkan has joined the BJP on Thursday after declaring that he was "deeply hurt when party questioned integrity of armed forces".
He claimed that he was moving to the BJP over his "love for the nation" and that he was deeply appreciative of PM Narendra Modi's developemental narrative. He said he had taken the decision to join the BJP with a "heavy heart". He claimed that in the Congress dynastic politics was at its "zenith".
At the press conference announcing his change of alliance, Vadakkan said, ""I left Congress party because when Pakistani terrorists attacked our land, my party's reaction to it was sad, it hurt me deeply. If a political party takes such a position that is against the country, then I'm left with no option but to leave the party."
Vadakkan was welcomed to the party by Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and was garlanded by BJP chief Amit Shah.
Vadakkan was one of the top aides of Sonia Gandhi and has been a member of the Congress party for almost 30 years. He was the national spokesperson for the party in the past and former secretary of the AICC.