UP: Hardoi MP Anshul Verma joins SP, hands over resignation to 'chowkidar' at BJP state office

Disgruntled after being denied poll ticket for the ensuing Lok Sabha election, sitting MP from Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi seat, Anshul Verma on Wednesday joined the Samajwadi Party in the presence of party president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow.

What gives the story an interesting twist is the fact that Verma said he had submitted his resignation to a chowkidar (watchman) of the state BJP headquarters here. This gesture comes amidst the BJP's "Main Bhi chowkidar" campaign that is being endorsed by all leaders and workers of the paty.

"I'm hurt with the BJP's decision to deny me a party ticket. When I asked for a reason nobody from the party responded to it, no responsible BJP leader gave me time to meet".

The BJP has fielded Jai Prakash Rawat as its candidate from Hardoi parliamentary constituency.

Verma accused BJP of having built grand offices in the national capital and every district of Uttar Pradesh, spending crores of rupees. He mocked the BJP by terming it 'Sabka saath, BJP ka vikas' a play on BJP slogan of "'Sabka saath sabka vikas".

The MP also hit out at the BJP for its 'chowkidar' drive alleging that nobody aspired for their children to be security guards.

Welcoming Verma into the party the SP leader said, "We are very happy after inducting a youth leader from the Dalit community, who will go to the public and tell the truth about 'chowkidars'.

"The BJP will not win more than one seat in Uttar Pradesh. The students, youth and farmers are disappointed, and this election will be fought on real issues like unemployment and farm crisis," he told reporters here.

Akhilesh claimed that the ruling Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in the state has not purchased even a single kilogram of potato from farmers and the sugarcane farmers have not been paid their dues.

Uttar Pradesh will go to polls in seven phases, from April 11 to May 19.