In a notable political shift in Jharkhand, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Kamlesh Singh has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The formal induction took place in a ceremony where BJP State President Babulal Marandi and co-in-charge Hemanta Vishva Sarma adorned Singh with a traditional shawl, symbolising his new affiliation.
Kamlesh Singh was the only MLA from the NCP in Jharkhand and is a prominent leader within the party. He has also served as a cabinet minister in Jharkhand. He has announced that he will be joining the BJP, along with his son, Surya Singh, and several party workers. Last year, when the NCP split into two factions, Kamlesh Singh aligned himself with the Ajit Pawar group.
Kamlesh Singh has experienced both victories and defeats in elections. In the 2005 assembly elections, the NCP gave him a ticket, and he lived up to the party's expectations by winning against RJD's Sanjay Yadav. However, in 2009, he was again given a ticket but finished in fourth place in the Hussainabad constituency. In the 2014 assembly elections, he faced defeat against the BSP candidate.
In 2019, the party placed its trust in Kamlesh once more, and he won the Hussainabad seat with 25.20% of the votes. It's worth noting that the BJP did not field a candidate in that election.