6 sitting MLAs join the "saffron juggernaut" in UP

Lucknow: A day after four MLAs joined the BSP in Uttar Pradesh, BJP today got a boost when six MLAs, including three from Congress, two BSP and one SP, joined the party in the presence of state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and other leaders. The MLAs, who joined the BJP are, Sanjay Jaiswal, Vijay Dubey and Madhuri Verma (All Congress), Rajesh Tripathi and Bala Prasad Awasthi (Both BSP) and Sher Bahadur (SP). 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. BSP MLA and former UP minister Rajesh Tripathi represents Chilupaar seat in Gorakhpur district and Bala Prasad Awasthi is member from Mohammadi seat in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Ruling Samajwadi Party six time MLA Sher Bahadur represents a Jalalabad seat in Ambedkarnagar. However, earlier it was reported that 11 MLAs were to join the BJP but later only six turned out. SP leader and former block pramukh of Bakshi-ka-talab block in the Lucknow Sudarshan Yadav too joined the BJP along with his thousand of supporters. Former legislator Dilip Kumar Verma, husband of Madhuri Verma too joined the BJP. Mr Maurya said there is a beeline of MLAs from other parties who want to join the BJP. Yesterday, four Muslim MLAs -- three of Congress and one of SP had joined the BSP. (UNI)