Won’t induct any more BJP legislators: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

On former UP minister Dara Singh Chauhan, who had left the BJP on Thursday, Akhilesh said he and a few others would be inducted into the party on Sunday.

Former UP cabinet minister and prominent OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Friday joined the SP along with another rebel minister Dharam Singh Saini. Five BJP MLAs and Apna Dal (Sonelal) legislator Amar Singh Chaudhary also joined the SP in the presence of Akhilesh.

Reacting to Yogi Adityanath’s candidature from Gorakhpur, Akhilesh said the BJP had already sent the chief minister to his home. “He is not even member of the BJP and has been sent to his home by his party. There was the talk of him contesting from Mathura, Ayodhya or Prayagraj before the BJP sent him back to his home, Gorakhpur,” he added. The SP chief, however, evaded the question if the party would field any candidate against Adityanath.

On Congress’s decision to give 40 per cent of its tickets to women, Akhilesh said the SP would choose its women candidates on their winnability.