LUCKNOW: BSP‘s Ambedkarnagar MP Ritesh Pandey defected to BJP on Sunday amid reports that at least three more MPs from the Mayawati-led outfit are said to be in touch with the saffron camp for a possible switchover ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
These three MPs are from Kashi region. Another BSP MP from west UP is said to be in talks with Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD, which is expected to join BJP-led NDA soon. Sources said one of the MPs recently met PM Modi; three others are on the verge of quitting.
The Ghazipur MP has joined SP and two others are set for Congress, which would leave Mayawati with just two of 10 BSP MPs on her side.
Opposition netas scrambling for safer seats, says BJP
Pandey, who joined BJP in Delhi in the presence of the party’s national vice-president and UP election in-charge Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, shared his resignation letter on X, urging BSP chief Mayawati to accept it. “For a long time, neither am I being called to attend party meetings nor has the party leadership spoken to me. I made numerous efforts to get in touch with and meet you (Mayawati) and the top leadership of the party but it did not yield any result,” Pandey wrote, concluding that “the party does not need my service and presence”.
Ritesh is the son of SP MLA Rakesh Pandey. His exit comes days after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced his party MLA Lalji Verma as the party candidate from Amedkarnagar. It has also come amid reports of BJP finalising its first list of candidates, essentially for the 16 seats that it lost to SP-BSP combine in 2019. BJP is likely to announce the list just around issuance of poll notification expected in second week of March.
Welcoming Pandey in the party, BJP’s UP spokesperson Anand Dubey said leaders of opposition parties know that their defeat in LS polls is imminent. “Therefore, opposition leaders are scrambling for safer seats or greener pastures.”
Political experts said BSP MPs apprehend a setback to their electoral fortunes in wake of poll contest turning into a direct square-off between NDA and SP-Congress. “Polarisation of voters is expected between NDA and SP-Congress combine, leaving little chance for BSP candidates to gain,” said an analyst.
Mayawati has repeatedly asserted that BSP will go solo in the polls. BSP has been wary of aligning with any political formation that could perceptibly allow resurrection of SP or Congress in UP, say experts.
BSP contested 2019 polls in alliance with SP, winning 10 seats. But later, Mayawati snapped ties.
This time around, crossovers are in full flow. Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, brother of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, has joined SP and bagged a ticket from same constituency. Likewise, Amroha MP Kunwar Danish Ali, who had been suspended by Mayawati on charges of “anti-party” activities, is likely to join Congress. Another MP, Shyam Singh Yadav from Jaunpur, joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra on Sunday.
These three MPs are from Kashi region. Another BSP MP from west UP is said to be in talks with Jayant Chaudhary’s RLD, which is expected to join BJP-led NDA soon. Sources said one of the MPs recently met PM Modi; three others are on the verge of quitting.
The Ghazipur MP has joined SP and two others are set for Congress, which would leave Mayawati with just two of 10 BSP MPs on her side.
Opposition netas scrambling for safer seats, says BJP
Pandey, who joined BJP in Delhi in the presence of the party’s national vice-president and UP election in-charge Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary and deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, shared his resignation letter on X, urging BSP chief Mayawati to accept it. “For a long time, neither am I being called to attend party meetings nor has the party leadership spoken to me. I made numerous efforts to get in touch with and meet you (Mayawati) and the top leadership of the party but it did not yield any result,” Pandey wrote, concluding that “the party does not need my service and presence”.
Ritesh is the son of SP MLA Rakesh Pandey. His exit comes days after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav announced his party MLA Lalji Verma as the party candidate from Amedkarnagar. It has also come amid reports of BJP finalising its first list of candidates, essentially for the 16 seats that it lost to SP-BSP combine in 2019. BJP is likely to announce the list just around issuance of poll notification expected in second week of March.
Welcoming Pandey in the party, BJP’s UP spokesperson Anand Dubey said leaders of opposition parties know that their defeat in LS polls is imminent. “Therefore, opposition leaders are scrambling for safer seats or greener pastures.”
Political experts said BSP MPs apprehend a setback to their electoral fortunes in wake of poll contest turning into a direct square-off between NDA and SP-Congress. “Polarisation of voters is expected between NDA and SP-Congress combine, leaving little chance for BSP candidates to gain,” said an analyst.
Mayawati has repeatedly asserted that BSP will go solo in the polls. BSP has been wary of aligning with any political formation that could perceptibly allow resurrection of SP or Congress in UP, say experts.
BSP contested 2019 polls in alliance with SP, winning 10 seats. But later, Mayawati snapped ties.
This time around, crossovers are in full flow. Ghazipur MP Afzal Ansari, brother of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, has joined SP and bagged a ticket from same constituency. Likewise, Amroha MP Kunwar Danish Ali, who had been suspended by Mayawati on charges of “anti-party” activities, is likely to join Congress. Another MP, Shyam Singh Yadav from Jaunpur, joined Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Agra on Sunday.