Former envoy Hardeep Puri joins BJP

New Delhi, Jan 2:

, who retired last year as

's permanent representative to the

in New York, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday.

Puri joined the party in presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh.

A party press release said that Rajnath Singh welcomed Puri in the party and said the BJP looked forward to utilising his experience in the areas of foreign affairs, security and trade policies.

Hardeep Puri joined the party in presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Puri said he was "delighted to formally join the party which he had long admired for its strong sense of nationalism".

He also said that he was ready to contribute in whatever manner the BJP president and its senior leadership required him to.

Puri had joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1974. During a career spanning 39 years, he served in senior positions and held ambassador-level assignments in London, Geneva and Brasilia. He was also served as secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

IANS