E Sreedharan, the engineering legend behind the Delhi Metro and many similar projects across the country, is set to join the BJP, said Kerala state president K. Surendran on Thursday. Popularly known as ‘Metro man’ will be officially welcomed to the BJP party during the ‘Kerala Yathra’ led by K. Surendran scheduled to start on Saturday.

Talking to NTV, Sreedharan said, "I have decided to join the BJP, just official formalities remain. I believe in the issues the party is raising and I am against blind opposition by political parties nationally." When asked about the possibility of contesting the election, he added: "I am open to contest elections if the party wants."

Mr Sreedharan who is 88-year-old, retired as chief of the Delhi Metro in 2011. With his long successful stint steering some of the country's biggest metro and railway projects in India, Sreedharan is respected and lauded worldwide. He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008.