Seven ex-army men join BJP

Seven retired officers of the armed forces, including two former deputy chiefs of the Indian Army staff, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday in the presence of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Welcoming them into the party, Sitharaman said the presence of such senior ex-servicemen who have served the nation benefits the BJP.

"They can guide on policies on nation security and nation building," she told reporters.

Lieutenant General JBS Yadav and Lieutenant General S K Patyal, ex deputy chiefs of the army staff, joined the party.

"Ex soldiers, too, want to serve the country. We may have retired but we are not tired," Yadav told reporters. He said the country is in "safe and able hands" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Former director general of military intelligence Lt Gen R N Singh, former director general of army's information services and IT Lt Gen Sunit Kumar, and Lt Gen Nitin Kohli, who has served as the signal officer-in-chief at the army headquarters also joined the party.

Colonel R K Tripathi, who has served as judge advocate general corps headquarters, and Wing Commander Navneet Magon, a former air force medical services doctor, also joined the BJP.