Former IAF chief Bhadauria joins BJP

New Delhi: Former Indian Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria joined the BJP on Sunday and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the steps taken by his government to modernise and strengthen the armed forces.

Varaprasad Rao, a former MP and a YSR Congress leader from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, also joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur and party General Secretary Vinod Tawde. Bhadauria -- who hails from Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is yet to name its candidates for many Lok Sabha seats -- said his new innings gives him a chance to contribute to nation-building.

Having retired in 2021, he termed the last eight to 10 years of his service as a “golden period”, praising the steps taken by the Modi government to boost self-reliance and modernise the armed forces. He also praised its measures for national security and lauded Modi’s foresight, saying the steps taken across various departments will help the country emerge stronger.