Rahul okayed 'secular' Anand Singh's induction into Cong: Siddaramaiah

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said former BJP MLA B Anand Singh has been inducted into the party after receiving the green signal from the Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

"Rahul gave permission to take Singh into the party as he is secular. Secularism has no place in the BJP. Those who believe in secularism should not associate with the saffron party," he said after welcoming Singh to the party at the KPCC office on Queen's Road here.

Singh, who was the BJP legislator from Vijayanagara constituency (Hosapete) in Ballari district for two terms, recently resigned as the MLA. He had distanced himself from the saffron party after Tipu Jayanti celebrations a few weeks ago. Singh, who was once a close associate of the Reddy brothers from Ballari, is facing charges of illegal mining and was also jailed in the past.

The Congress is said to have assured him the ticket to contest the coming Assembly elections from Vijayanagara. "I am a secular-minded person. I will work towards ensuring Congress' victory in all the nine assembly constituencies in Ballari district," said Singh, who was Toursim as well as Ballari district in-charge minister in the Jagadish Shettar-led BJP government. He was the lone BJP candidate who emerged victorious in the 2013 Assembly polls from Ballari district.