Veteran politician and former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh dropped hints about joining the BJP while attending an event addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The prime minister today (30 July) said he is not afraid of being seen with industrialists playing an essential role in the nation's development, as he slammed the opposition parties for the "mistakes" made during 70 years after India's independence.

Modi had launched 81 investment projects worth over Rs 60,000 crore in Lucknow. "You cannot have a blot on you simply by standing with anyone if your intentions are good and clear. Gandhiji's intentions were so pure that he never hesitated in staying with Birla family," the Prime Minister said.

"Public mey milna nahi, parde ke peeche sab kuch karna hai. Woh dartey rahtey hain. (Those who do not meet publicly and do everything behind curtains remain scared)," the prime minister added.

Amar Singh, former SP leader, is sitting here and he can give you all the details, Modi said with laughter.

Singh was also seen at the inauguration and flagging off of electric buses by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his official residence later in the day.
On 23 July, Singh had met Adityanath, triggering speculation in political circles that he might be planning to join the BJP.

Though official sources confirmed the meeting, it was not immediately known what transpired between them.

Rumour is rife that Singh, who was a Rajya Sabha MP from the Samajwadi Party but was expelled from the outfit last year, has been toying with the idea of embracing the saffron party.

Singh had recently said that he was not averse to joining the BJP, but he had not got any invite from it, nor had he applied to it.

"The BJP is a very big political party. I won't say that I will not join the BJP if I get a chance, but who is giving me the chance? I have not sent them any request letter either," Singh said.

While it has been rumoured for long that former close estranged confidante of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Amar Singh was vying hard to join BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's direct reference to him during an address is now being seen as a step forward in that direction. While many now argue that Singh's joining BJP is inevitable, the time and manner are still a matter of speculation.