6 MLAs from Cong, BSP, SP join BJP in poll-bound UP

The BJP today received a shot in the arm in the run up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year when six MLAs from Congress, BSP and SP joined the saffron party.
Three of them are from Congress, two from BSP and one SP.
The MLAs, who joined the BJP in presence of state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya are Sanjay Jaiswal, Vijay Dubey and Madhuri Verma (all Cong), Rajesh Tripathi and Bala Prasad Awasthi (both BSP) and Sher Bahadur (SP).
Maurya claimed there was exodus in BSP, SP and Congress.
He said there was "misrule and goondaraj" in Uttar Pradesh against which BJP was fighting from Parliament to streets.

He said there were immense possibilities of development in UP, but the state government was "blocking" them with all its efforts.

"Whatever is happening in the state is due to nexus of BSP and SP," he said.
Meanwhile, BSP supremo Mayawati said those who have joined BJP or any other party, had done so out of sheer personal interest as they were denied tickets long back due to complaints against them.
"The MLAs who joined today had entered the saffron party several times in the past...Therefore, there is nothing new or unexpected in it," she said in a statement.
"Besides being a political party, BSP is also a movement of social change. Therefore, it does not induct 'aya ram, gaya ram' in its fold," she said.

Commenting on today's development, ruling SP alleged that BJP-led central government had "failed" on all fronts and was trying to mislead people. It was making efforts to win election on the basis of "imported" faces, SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said.
"The rejected stuff not required by any party is being inducted by BJP," he said, adding leaders who have lost their relevance were searching new shelters.
"If BJP leaders feel it is gaining popularity, then it is their misnomer," he said.
Among those who joined BJP today, Sanjay Jaiswal is MLA from Rudauli in Basti district, Madhuri Verma represents Nanpara seat in Bahriach district while Vijay Dubey is member from Khadda seat in Kushinagar district.

Rajesh Tripathi is MLA from Chillupar, whereas Bala Prasad Awasthi was elected from Mohammadi seat in Kheri. SP MLA Sher Bahadur represents Jalalpur in Ambedkarnagar.
Uttar Pradesh will go to polls early next year to elect 403 law makers and political activities have hotted up in the run up to the elections.
Yesterday three expelled Congress MLAs joined BSP along with an SP MLA and a BJP leader.