Chandra Prakash Mishra, BSP leader from Amethi, joins BJP

Lucknow, Mar 20: Bahujan Samaj Party leader from Amethi and former legislator Chandra Prakash Mishra joined the BJP today, in presence of leaders JP Nadda and Smriti Irani.

Chandra Prakash Mishra had been with the BSP for last 22 years and had contested Lok Sabha election against Rahul Gandhi from Amethi in 2004.

The leader said here and said he would work to ensure the defeat of Congress president Rahul Gandhi from his Lok Sabha constituency. "Amethi remains enslaved and I will ensure that it tastes freedom," Mr Mishra told reporters in New Delhi.

In the upcoming Lok Sabha election, the BJP is likely to field Smriti Irani against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. She had put up a spirited fight against him in 2014 but had lost.

Amethi has been a pocket borough of the Gandhi family for decades.

In 2007, Chandra Prakash Mishra won the assembly election from Gauriganj seat in the Gandhi family bastion

Election for Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting from April 11. The voting will end on May 19 and the counting will take place on May, 23

PTI