 "Four BSP MLAs join BJP")
In a boost to the BJP ahead of the 2017 UP Assembly elections, four sitting BSP MLAs on Monday joined the saffron party here.
"Four BSP MLAs on Monday joined BJP at the party headquarters here in the presence of Uttar Pradesh unit president Keshav Prasad Maurya," a release issued by BJP here said.
The MLAs who joined BJP are Romi Sahni (Palia), Mahavir Rana (Behat), Roshanlal Verma (Tilhar) and Om Kumar (Bijnore), it said.
Reacting on the development, a release issued by BSP said that the four MLAs were denied party tickets for the upcoming Assembly elections, hence they switched the party.
The Mayawati-led party also claimed that three of the MLAs — Sahni, Verma and Rana — have already been expelled by BSP.
In July last, Sahni had led an open revolt against Mayawati charging her with demanding huge amount for allotting tickets.
Many BSP leaders, including Swami Prasad Maurya, Jagdish Rana and Brajesh Pathak, have joined BJP ahead of the crucial UP polls.