BSP’s recently expelled MLA Vinay Shankar Tiwari and BJP MLA Digvijay Narayan Chaubey and several other Brahmin leaders joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in presence of Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Sunday.
Along with Vinay Shankar Tiwari, two other Bahujan Samaj Party leaders who joined Akhilesh’s party are former two-time MP Kushal Tiwari and former UP Legislative Council chairperson Ganesh Shankar Pandey. All three were suspended by the BSP supremo Mayawati last week after it became clear that they would join the Samajwadi Party.
Vinay Shankar Tiwari and Kushal Tiwari are the sons of Harishankar Tiwari, an influential leader from eastern Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP’s MLA Digvijay Narain Chaubey, who also joined SP, was elected from the Khalilabad constituency in Sant Kabir Nagar district.
Vinay Shankar Tiwari accused the Uttar Pradesh government of humiliating the Brahmin community.
“The injustice done to the Brahmin community has been the most under the current government,” he said, alleging that the UP government “had started a policy of encounters in the state,” Tiwari told reporters.
“This [current] government was not formed for democracy, but for autocracy. They have banned free speech. This government has also started putting its plaques on foundation stones or development work done by other governments,” Tiwari who unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections on a BSP ticket from Gorakhpur against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, said.
“Now, with Samajwadis, all Ambedkarwadis are also here. When the two meet, it is definite that the BJP will be swept out. That is because everyone is being targeted,” welcoming the new leaders, Akhilesh said.
The Assembly polls are expected to be held early next year.
