Former Indian Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. RKS Bhadauria joined the BJP in presence of Union minister and party leader Anurag Thakur in Delhi.
According to reports, BJP might field RKS Bhadauria from Ghaziabad for the Lok Sabha elections 2024, replacing current MP VK Singh who is also a military veteran.
Bhadauria -- who hails from Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is yet to name its candidates for many Lok Sabha seats -- said his new innings gives him a chance to contribute to nation-building.
"I would like to thank PM Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and others for giving me an opportunity to join the BJP, and contribute towards nation-building," said former Indian Air Force chief RKS Bhadauria after joining the BJP.
Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria served as the Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force from 2019 till 2021. He was succeeded by Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari.
Bhadauria, who was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in 1980, has clocked over 4,250 hours of flying and has experience on 26 different types of fighter jets and transport aircraft.
RKS Bhadauria has held several operational and administrative appointments during his service.
Before being appointed the Vice-Chief of Air Staff, RKS Bhadauria was heading IAF's Bengaluru-based Training Command. As the Deputy Chief, he was the chairman of the Indian negotiating team for the 36 Rafale combat aircraft deal with France.
During his career of nearly four decades, Bhadauria commanded a Jaguar squadron and a premier Air Force Station. Among the important positions Bhadauria has held, some are: Commandant of the National Defence Academy, Senior Air Staff Officer at the Central Air Command and Deputy Chief of the Air Staff from January 2016 to February 28, 2017. He also served as the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C), Southern Air Command from March 1, 2017.
He is also an experimental Test Pilot, a Category A qualified Flying Instructor and a Pilot Attack Instructor.
