Patna, January 18: Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Uday Singh submitted his resignation to the party high command. Among reasons for his exit cited by the ex-lawmaker, include the alliance with the Janata Dal (United) -- which Singh described as a "surrender" before Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The rebel leader also questioned the Narendra Modi wave of 2014, hinting that it has subdued against a wave in favour of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Singh's decision to quit comes two days after former Arunachal Pradesh CM Gegong Apang walked out of the BJP after accusing the party of "moving away" from the principles of late ex-PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. BJP MLA Anil Gote Quits Party, Resigns From Maharashtra Assembly Citing 'Induction of Criminals'.

Singh, who has represented the Purnea Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar twice, said he had been an ardent supporter of PM Modi, but the government at the Centre has not lived up to the expectations.

Singh did not reveal his cards, saying that until he resigned from the BJP, he had no right to negotiate with any other party, but gave ample hints saying he may join a Grand Alliance constituent.

He also said that even while in the BJP, he never approved of the slogan of Congress-mukt Bharat. A democracy cannot survive if the opposition is wiped out. It will degenerate into a totalitarian regime, he said.

Singh, whose elder brother NK Singh is the chairman of the 15th Finance Commission, had lost his seat in 2014 to JD(U)’s Santosh Kushwaha by a margin of more than one lakh votes notwithstanding the strong Modi wave.

With the BJP and JD(U) having agreed to fight 17 seats each, leaving six for Ram Vilas Paswan’s LJP, and Purnea being a sitting seat of Nitish Kumar’s party, there is little likelihood for Singh being considered for the seat, which he had won in 2004 and 2009, and his mother Madhuri Singh had represented as a Congress nominee in the 1980s.

Singh, however, maintained that his decision had nothing to do with the possibility of getting a ticket from his seat as NDA constituents are yet to finalise which constituency will be fought by which party.

Replying to a query, he said so far he had no talks with Rahul Gandhi or (RJD supremo) Lalu Prasad. But he was looking forward to speaking to them after taking his supporters into confidence.

He claimed that there is widespread resentment among the party cadre over the ‘undemocratic style of functioning’ of the current leadership and remarked it is very difficult to meet BJP president Amit Shah.

RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha kept requesting for an appointment, which was never given, and he ultimately had to resign from the Union council of ministers and quit the NDA in sheer disappointment, he said.

“Committed BJP workers are appalled over the manner the party agreed to share power with Nitish Kumar, forgetting our bitter experiences with him in the past, and also over the fact that his government is rapidly losing goodwill. Now, the BJP will end up sharing the blame for his misdeeds. And as if that was not enough, he was given such a massive share of seats,” he remarked.

(With PTI inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 18, 2019 09:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).