OBC leaders like Bhalchandra, Baleshwar Yadav may join BJP

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its move to woo Other Backward Classes (OBC) leaders may induct some strong leaders from rival political parties in Uttar Prades to respond them as they are joining hands to defeat the BJP.

In one such move, there is a chance that two-term Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Member of Parliament from Khalilabad Bhalchandra Yadav might join the BJP soon.

The Prime Minister will be addressing a rally in Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar on June 28, 2018 to commemorate 500th death anniversary of Kabir Das at Maghar that is present day Sant Kabir Nagar named after him. Sources said, "There was every possibility that Bhalchandra Yadav might join the BJP in the presence of the Prime Minister and share the dais with him at the rally but if talks are not conclusive then things might get delayed for some more time."

However, a strongman Bhalchandra Yadav has had a meeting with party general secretary Bhupendra Yadav at his Delhi office. The BJP is eying some more OBC leaders like Baleshwar Yadav from the state who is also a former MP. Sources said that to negate anti incumbency of MPs, the BJP will any way drop 30 to 40 per cent candidates from contesting Lok Sabha elections.

In such a situation the party would require winnable candidates and bringing strong OBC and Dalit candidates to the BJP fold will prove to be a dividend for the party. Yadav was elected to 13th Lok Sabha in 1999 and 14th Lok Sabha in 2004 from the then Khalilabad constituency.

Bhalchandra Yadav was disqualified by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee in 2008 along with other two members of the Lower House from Uttar Pradesh on grounds of defection to the Samajwadi Party. Besides Bhalchandra Yadav, Ramakant Yadav and Mohammad Shahid Akhlaque being disqualified their seats in the House too was declared vacant. Ramakant Yadav later joined the BJP and got elected from Azamgarh constituency but defeated by Mulayam Singh Yadav in 2014 elections.

Baleshwar Yadav is another leader in the reckoning but his age factor might come on his way into entering the saffron fold. Baleshwar Yadav was elected to 14th Lok Sabha from Padrauna constituency. Some other winnable candidates are in talks with the senior BJP leaders.