Three sitting UP BJP MLAs join ruling Samajwadi Party in UP

Lucknow, Sep 3 (UNI) In a quick turn of political events before the assembly elections, three sitting Bharatiya Janata Party members of the Uttar Pradesh assembly today joined the ruling Samajwadi Party.

Former ministers Mahendra Singh Yadav and Amarjeet Singh Jansevek along with another party MLA representing Govardhan seat in Mathura Shyam Singh Aheria joined the ruling party in presence of SP general secretary and state PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav.

Mr Yadav, a former Indian Police Services(IPS) officer of the state, is the BJP MLA from Bullandsahar. He is the husband of senior state bureaucrat and former chief secretary Neera Yadav.

Mr Jansevek represents Bindki assembly segment of Fatehpur district. During the last Rajya Sabha elections, he violated the party whip and voted in favour of the BSP candidates.

Mr Shivpal Singh Yadav welcoming the trio in the party said that SP was open to all and any body could join the party.

Earlier, the three MLAs met chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav before coming to the media.

With today's turn of event, the number of BJP MLAs to have joined the ruling SP is five. Sandeep Agarwal of Moradabad and Shivendra Singh of Maharajganj had joined the SP earlier All the three MLAs told mediapersons that they decided to join the Samajwadi Party for its pro-people attitude and to serve the state.

The MLAs, however, said they were yet to decide on their resignation from the assembly.

SP general secretary Mr Yadav said he hoped that in coming days more leaders and legislators would join the ruling party.

''Several MLAs of different political parties are in touch with us'', he commented, while ruling out that there was any threat on his government.

With this new addition, the strength of the ruling SP in the assembly has now gone up to 157 while the BJP has come down to 78.

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