When BJP is facing heat over dalit agitation and many of its leaders threatening to quit party, it got a shot in its arm when two formers MPs, two former legislators and dozens of senior leaders of both Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party joined BJP.

“Such a huge number of leaders joining BJP shows that people have faith of the policies of the Modi and Yogi Government as both of them are committed to helping poor and downtrodden,” BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey said here on Monday.

He said two former MPs from BSP and SP and former members of State assembly and state council are among 28 leaders and their supporters have joined BJP.

Among those who joined BJP are: Former MP from Mishrikh Ashok Rawat, former MP Jai Prakah Rawat (Hardoi), former MLA Prem Prakash alias Jippy Tiwari, former MLC Heera Thakur, former spokesman of Samajwadi Party Sanjiv Mishra and many block pramukhs.