A major political upheaval was witnessed on Monday in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. Several opposition leaders were inducted into the BJP headquarters, marking a significant blow to the main opposition party in the state, the Samajwadi Party (SP).
Notable leaders who joined the BJP include former minister Sahab Singh Saini from the Samajwadi Party and Rajpal Saini, who contested on an RLD ticket in the previous assembly elections. Additionally, former MLAs Sushma Patel and Jagdish Sonkar, along with nearly a dozen others, also embraced BJP membership. Furthermore, former MLA Anshul Verma and former mayoral candidate from Varanasi, Shalini Yadav, joined the BJP as well.
While the joining of these members was underway at the BJP headquarters, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was engaged in a meeting with his legislators at the party office. In response to the developments, Akhilesh Yadav posted a tweet that could be interpreted as a subtle taunt, saying, “Some people have left, much like the ₹2000 note.”
Although the SP leadership is attempting to downplay the impact of these defections on the party’s alliance, it is evident that the BJP is making efforts to create a favourable environment in the state. As the BJP adopts a strategic approach towards the SP, Akhilesh Yadav is also working on a specific plan for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. On Monday, a meeting was held at the party office to discuss preparations for the Lok Sabha elections in the state and to devise strategies for contests outside Uttar Pradesh.
Reportedly, Akhilesh Yadav is planning to contest elections in several other states as well, seeking seats in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Additionally, he has laid out ambitious plans for Madhya Pradesh, where he intends to hold meetings with party workers in Khajuraho on August 5 and participate in a rally. This indicates his desire to present the Samajwadi Party at the national level ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. However, the Samajwadi Party is worried as the BJP continues to make inroads in the strongholds of Purvanchal and western Uttar Pradesh. It’s worth noting that in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP faced the most significant losses in these regions.
