Boxer and former Congress leader Vijender Singh on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“I have joined the BJP in the interest of the nation and to serve the people. I want to help more and more people,” Singh said shortly after joining the BJP.

“This is kind of a homecoming for me. It is good to be back. Ever since the Modi government has come to power, the kind of respect that the sportsmen are getting across the globe currently is commendable,” he added.

He joined the party in the presence of BJP leaders Vinod Tawde, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and Rajiv Babbar at party headquarters in New Delhi.

Singh, who was earlier in Congress, contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from South Delhi but lost to BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri.