Another blow to Akhilesh, one more SP MLC resigns to join BJP

Lucknow: In a severe jolt to the Opposition in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party National Secretary and MLC Sarojni Agarwal today resigned from the party and joined the BJP today. The two-time MLC, whose term expires on January 30, 2021, tendered her resignation to Council Chairman Ramesh Yadav. Ms Agarwal, a renowned gynecologist from Meerut, said she left SP as she was disturbed after removal of Mulayam Singh Yadav from party president's post.

However, the BJP leaders had disclosed that today two MLCs would be joining the party but only one leader joined. Senior BJP Ministers-- Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Mahendra Singh-- were present when the SP leader joined the party. Dr Himani Agarwal, daughter of Ms Sarojni Agarwal, who was the national general secretary of Yuvjan Sabha, too resigned and joined the saffron party.

Ms Agarwal was the third SP MLC to resign and join the BJP. On Saturday, three MLCs- two of the SP, Bhukkal Nawab and Yashwant Singh and BSP's Thakur Jaiveer Singh, had resigned and on Monday joined the BJP when the party president Amit Shah was in Lucknow. Welcoming Dr Sarojni Agarwal in the BJP, senior UP minister Joshi said the leaders are joining the party inspired by the ideologies and policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

She also refuted the allegation of poaching of the Opposition leaders by the BJP. "Leaders are joining the party inspired by the party's ideology and policies. I too joined the BJP for the same. No one forced me to do so," she said. However, Dr Agarwal said she had no such annoyance with SP to leave the party but as her daughter, Dr Himani Agarwal,who is the national general secretary of SP's Yuvjan Sabha, wants to do the politics of BJP hence she had to take such decision. Dr Himani, a radiologist, too said that she was attracted towards the policies of Mr Modi and Mr Adityanath.

There is also a rumor that Dr Himani could be the BJP candidate in the seat left out by her mother. Dr Sarojni Agarwal joined the SP when she was elected the district Panchayat chairperson in 1995. Later she was elected to the council for the first time in 2009 on SP ticket and was repeated again in 2016. With this resignation, the strength of the SP, which has a majority in the 100-member Upper House has come down to 63 and the number of vacancies goes up to five. (UNI)