Jolt for Congress as its UP unit vice president crosses over to SP

LUCKNOW Ahead of the 2022 UP assembly polls, the Congress party suffered another jolt on Friday with its state unit vice-president Gayadeen Anuragi and former MLA Vinod Chaturvedi switching over to the Samajwadi Party (SP)

LUCKNOW Ahead of the 2022 UP assembly polls, the Congress party suffered another jolt on Friday with its state unit vice-president Gayadeen Anuragi and former MLA Vinod Chaturvedi switching over to the Samajwadi Party (SP). They joined the SP during a ceremony in the presence of its national president Akhilesh Yadav at a press conference here.

Samajwadi party national president Akhilesh Yadav addressing a press conference when some leaders joined his party on Friday. (HT Photo)

Anuragi is a former MLA from Rath, Hamirpur and Chaturvedi is a former MLA from Orai (Jalaun) in Bundelkhand region.

Earlier, Congress veteran Salim Sherwani and former Congress MP from Unnao Anu Tandon had joined the SP last year in October and November.

Anuragi told newspersons that he was not feeling comfortable in the Congress and not being heard in the party.

MORE SUPPORT FOR SP

On the occasion, Jan Parivartan Dal president JP Dhangarh announced the merger of his party with the Samajwadi Party while Gondwana Gantantra Party’s national president Tuleshwar Singh also announced support to the SP.

Others who joined the SP on Friday were former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP from Balrampur and three-time MLA Rizwan Zaheer and former BSP MLA RP Kushwaha.