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2 BJP MLAs in SP fold
WITH ASSEMBLY elections a few months away, the SP has launched a massive drive to wean away leaders from other parties. Today it achieved a big success when three BJP MLAs deserted their party to join it. They were former ministers Mahendra Singh Yadav, Amarjit Singh Jansewak and Shyam Singh Ahirwar.
WITH ASSEMBLY elections a few months away, the SP has launched a massive drive to wean away leaders from other parties.
Today it achieved a big success when three BJP MLAs deserted their party to join it. They were former ministers Mahendra Singh Yadav, Amarjit Singh Jansewak and Shyam Singh Ahirwar.
The switchover of these three MLAs is in clear violation of anti-defection law because they are well below the defined limits (one-third of a party strength in House can switch over). However, Mahendra Yadav said the issue would be taken up in the House, which is scheduled to meet on September 15.
Talking to newsmen on Sunday, SP general secretary and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said doors were open for leaders of other parties.
While Mahendra Singh Yadav, husband of former chief secretary Neera Yadav, represents Bulandshahr assembly segment, Jansewak, who was minister in previous Mayawati government, won election from Bindki (Fatehpur). Ahirwar belongs to Mathura.
Earlier, BJP MLA Sandeep Agarwal and Congress MLA Shamshul Haq (both from Moradabad) had joined the SP. Both had voted in favour of SP candidates in the last Rajya Sabha elections in the state. Jansewak has joined SP only after refusal of BSP ticket to him last month.
Shivpal Yadav said that some more MLAs were in contact with his party and they would soon join it. However, he denied that any Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) MLA had contacted him to switch sides. He said those who had come to the party would be properly accommodated at the time of ticket distribution. He said the entry of these MLAs would also strengthen the party in the House.
Even though the SP government has majority in the House, it doesn’t want to take any chance because of possibility of RLD leaving the coalition government.
Mahendra Yadav said SP was far better than the BJP and it was for this reason he had joined it. Jansewak and Ahirwar also lauded the programmes and policies of Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
