BSP bitter on BJP, takes mild swipes at SP

Mr Pathak, who had attended the Agra rally on Sunday, joined BJP in presence of party chief Amit Shah and Union minister Mahesh Sharma.

BSP leader Brajesh Pathak on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here.

While legislators of the main opposition Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) created a ruckus in the Legislative Council, the lower house was adjourned for the day after paying tributes to departed members. While addressing a rally at the Kothi Meena Bazar ground in Agra, Mayawati attacked the BJP and the RSS and the Akhilesh Government on multiple counts.

Mayawati said the BJP was trying to capture power in Uttar Pradesh by circulating lies.

Mayawati had already expelled Pathak’s brother Rajesh and brother-in-law Arvind Tripathi, a former MLC, earlier this year on charges of anti-party activities. In his resignation sent to Mayawati, Pathak said he was at “pain” to see how Brahmins were being sidelined in the BSP. Pathak holds a degree of LLB from Lucknow University. He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said, “Under the leadership of PM Modi, India and UP will change”. “There is a gradual perception, especially among the upper castes, that the BSP may not be an alternate to SP which faces anti-incumbency”.

“Moreover, I am fully confident that our fellow leaders, who were half-heartedly working some other party for UP will now work forcefully for the betterment of the state through the platform of the BJP as it is the only option left to revive our state”, he added.

It was rumoured a fortnight back that Pathak was leaving the BSP but he himself came out and trashed the reports as baseless.

In her one-hour-long speech, Mayawati minced no words denouncing deserters and those who accused her of collecting money for distributing tickets. In 2009, Mayawati had nominated him to Rajya Sabha, and fielded his wife, Namrata Pathak, from Unnao in 2012 Assembly elections. “I will do whatever the party asks me to do”, Pathak added.