New Delhi:  Former Union minister and Congress leader S Krishna Kumar on Saturday joined the BJP. Kumar said that he wanted to work to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

The 80-year-old leader joined the party in the presence of BJP leaders Anil Baluni and Shahnawaz Hussain at the party headquarters. Kumar said Modi has been working to develop India and he should continue to lead the country.

Kumar has been elected to the Lok Sabha three times during the 80s and the 90s, and was also a minister in the then Congress government at the Centre. 

Similarly,  Congress leader Tom Vadakkan joined the BJP on March 14. Vadakkan received the party membership from senior BJP leader and Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Tom Vadakkan left the Congress in protest against the party's stand on Pulwama attack. He said to the media that developments initiated by PM Narendra Modi attracted him to join the BJP.

The Kerala Janapaksham Secular party led by Poonjar MLA PC George joined the NDA on April 10. PC George made the official announcement at Pathanamthitta Press Club in the presence of BJP state president PS Sreedharan Pillai and BJP national secretary Satya Kumar. 

These incidents may be merit to BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. All the 20 parliamentary constituencies in Kerala will go to polls in the third round of the seven-phased Lok Sabha election on April 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

(With PTI inputs)