Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati on Sunday said taking BSP “turncoats” into its fold will not help the Samajwadi Party (SP) increase its mass base and will only weaken it.
Ms. Mayawati’s statement came barely hours after SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav inducted Lalji Verma and Ramachal Rajbhar in his party at his ‘Janadesh Maharally’ in Ambedkarnagar district on Sunday.
The two leaders were earlier expelled by the BSP for “anti-party” activities.
In a series of Hindi tweets, Ms. Mayawati said their inclusion in SP is only going to weaken the SP and disaffect its party workers.
“The SP should know that by taking such selfish party-hoppers, the ticket-seekers, within its fold is only going to make its workers angry, many of whom are in touch with the BSP.”
“These people are going to inflict severe damage to the party from inside during the polls,” she said.
She also offered a word of advice to her own party workers and said they must refrain from getting tickets to the disaffected members from other parties and prefer only their fellow party workers. In 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Lalji Verma had won from Katehari seat, while Ramachal Rajbhar had won from Akbarpur Assembly constituency.
Before expulsion from the party, Mr. Verma was the leader of BSP legislature party in State Assembly, and Rajbhar was the State BSP chief.