Six BSP MLAs, one BJP MLA join Samajwadi Party

With the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh closing in fast, the political slugfest — what was just trading of barbs between the leaders on ruling and opposing sides till two days ago — transformed into switching sides and loyalties.

Lucknow:Six MLAs from Bahujan Samaj Party and one MLA from the BJP joined the Samajwadi Party in the presence of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday.

With the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh closing in fast, the political slugfest — what was just trading of barbs between the leaders on ruling and opposing sides till two days ago — transformed into switching sides and loyalties.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Yadav said the people of the state are agitated and "that the BJP will be wiped out in the coming days."

"Bhajpa pariwar (BJP family) will appear as Bhaagta Pariwar (runaway family)," he said taunting the ruling party over its MLA Rakesh Rathore's desertion and indicating that some others from the BJP were also in touch with him in the poll-bound state.

BJP lawmaker from Sitapur Rakesh Rathore and BSP rebels Aslam Raini (Shrawati), Sushma Patel (Madiyahon), Aslam Ali (Hapur), Hakim Lal Bind (Handia), Mujtaba Siddiqui (Phoolpur) and Hargovind Bhargava (Sidhauli) joined SP on Saturday.

Taking to Twitter, Yadav claimed that the BJP will not get enough ticket-aspirants ''even if it declares 403 chief ministers" as the party is staring at defeat in the assembly polls. The UP Assembly's strength is 403.

Earlier this year, an audio clip purportedly of Rathore criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for asking people to clap and clang bells and plates during the COVID-19 pandemic had gone viral on social media, after which he was asked by the party leadership to explain his alleged anti-party activities.

The BSP rebels who joined the SP were suspended by BSP president Mayawati after they had opposed the nomination of the party's official candidate Ramji Gautam for Rajya Sabha in October 2020. They had reportedly met Akhilesh Yadav earlier this year and had hinted that they may switch sides soon.

Yadav also took a swipe at Union Home Minister Amit Shah for saying that 90 percent works of the BJP manifesto have been completed and the 10 percent remaining in the 'Lok Lalyan Sankalp Patra' will be taken up in the next few months.

Yadav said it seems that the BJP leaders have not gone through its pages and have forgotten about what all was there in their manifesto.

"The first thing mentioned in it was for the farmers that a roadmap to double their income will be prepared by 2022 and they assured farmers in this regard from various platforms. I want to know what has happened to it," he said reading out for the BJP's 2017 manifesto and asked about the fate of other promises as well.

He also again distanced himself from the party's former ally Congress.

"The opinion of Samajwadis for the Congress and BJP is that both are the same,” the SP chief said to a query.

The SP chief also contested the claims of improved law and order and said the statistics of the Government of India and services like Dial 100 and 1090 will clear the picture about the cases of injustice against the girls.

Recalling the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, he said a BJP minister was seen threatening the people in a video and said that this very minister is "being honoured on the dais with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah".

(With inputs from agencies)