Former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday said he considers himself fortunate that the BJP accepted him in the party and assured party workers that he will work wholeheartedly for them.
Speaking at the state BJP office, Scindia also said the one thing he was bringing to the table was hard work.
"I am feeling fortunate to join the BJP. Party president J P Nadda, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah opened the doors of this party for me," Scindia said.
"I have brought only one thing with me (to BJP) and that is my hard work," Scindia said.
Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was present to welcome Scindia at the party office.
"The organisation and family in which I have spent 20 years, the organisation where I have put my hard work and efforts, I am leaving all that behind and handing myself over to you," said Scindia, who joined the BJP on Wednesday.
"It is a very emotional day for me today. I consider myself fortunate that this family (BJP) opened the doors for me," he said.
Scindia ignored his ideology and decided to go with the RSS as he feared for his political future, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, asserting that "his old friend" will neither get respect in the BJP, nor will he be satisfied.
Speaking candidly on Scindia's shock move to the BJP after being in the Congress for years, Gandhi recalled his long association with Scindia and said there is a difference between what is in his heart and what he is saying.
"I know the ideology of Jyotiraditya Scindia ji, he was with me in college. I would keep talking to him, I know him well. Jyotiraditya Scindia feared for his political future and therefore kept his ideology in his pocket and went with the RSS," Gandhi said.
A day after quitting the Congress, Scindia joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday in the presence of its president JP Nadda and slammed his former party for "denying reality" and "not acknowledging" new thoughts and new leadership.
(With PTI inputs)
