NEW DELHI: Renowned author and senior journalist M. J. Akbar joined BJP on Saturday in the presence of party President Rajnath Singh.

Akbar, who was a Congress MP from Kishanganj in Bihar between 1989 and 1991, switched over to the BJP bandwagon ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He was Congress Party spokesperson in 1989 ahead of Lok Sabha polls.

“I have come back to politics because of policy. The crisis in front of the country is known to all. This is an opportunity to do whatever little we can do for our country,” he said.

“It is our duty to join hands with the voice of the nation and bring the country back to a recovery mission. I look forward to working in BJP,” he told reporters.

Akbar, who was close to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, acknowledged that the latter was a friend.

Backing Modi, Akbar said that no other leader has gone through so much scrutiny as has Modi.

“It is not only that there is crisis. But now I also see a solution to the crisis. Modi’s leadership is essential for the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh is likely to resign from the party tomorrow, ndtv.com reported.

Singh expressed disappointment over the party’s decision to deny him the seat of his choice saying, “My honor cannot be subject to trading.”

Singh, 76, wanted to contest what is likely to be his last election, from Barmer, the constituency in Rajasthan where he was born. But the BJP ignored his request and instead decided to field Col. (Retd) Sona Ram Choudhary, a former Congressman who recently joined the party.