Jaswant Singh returns to the BJP

Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh on Thursday rejoined the party ten months after he was summarily thrown out for writing a controversial book on Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

At a function organised to announce his re-induction into the party fold, Singh, 72, profusely thanked senior BJP leader L K Advani for taking the initiative to bring him back to the BJP of which he was a founder member.

"It is good to be back in familiar surroundings. I wish to unreservedly express my gratitude to Advaniji who took the initiative," Singh said.

Among others present were party president Nitin Gadkari and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

Recalling his expulsion from the party at its 'Chintan Baithak' in Shimla in August last year, the Member of Parliament from Darjeeling said, "I was hurt and humiliated by what I had encountered."

Advani said he was 'very happy' that Jaswant Singh, whom he had met as an RSS pracharak in Rajasthan, has rejoined the party.

"I am very happy. With happiness there is also a sense of relief. I welcome him," he said.

Gadkari said the 'past is past' and hoped that Singh will work to make the party's future bright.

"I have been in the public life for more than 44 years. I am happy to rejoin the party at the behest of Lalji and party president Nitin Gadkari," Singh told the media.

Jaswant recalled how Advani had called him up and "he requested if the two of us can meet. I went over to his residence and we had a long discussion. Lalji asked me if I could treat the past as a closed chapter."

"A few weeks after he took over as the party president, Gadkari sahib called me up and sought to my blessings. Later, he drove to my house and we had discussions for over two hours. He expressed his desire about me rejoining the party. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of Advaniji and Nitinji. I am happy to be back in the BJP," said a visibly emotional Jaswant.

Praising Singh for his expertise in the fields of external affairs, finance and security issues, Gadkari said that he was glad that one of his objectives had been achieved. "It was my cherished desire that Singh should rejoin the BJP as his return to the party fold would strengthen the party further," Gadkari said in a brief speech.

"His return to the party will help the party regain its strength. We hope to have his guidance on all important issues," said Advani.

Singh has been accorded the status of special invitee in the national executive and will soon be entrusted with some important assignments by Gadkari, sources said.

Singh said this was a day of 'great happiness' for him and the party workers. He was expelled from the BJP in August 2009 for praising the Pakistan founder in his book Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence.

While holding Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel responsible for partition, Singh maintained that Jinnah was secular, a position that was unacceptable to the Sangh Parivar.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had banned Singh's book in his state. After his expulsion, BJP also asked Singh to step down from the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee but he refused. He gave up the post in December last year.