Former Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh Jagdish Singh Rana today joined the BJP.
Rana, a Thakur leader from Saharanpur who was expelled from BSP earlier this year, had a stint in Samajwadi Party too and was earlier a minister in the state government.
He was inducted into the saffron outfit by its UP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya, who alleged the state's law and order had "collapsed" under the Samajwadi Party government and people wanted BJP in power.
The state is going to the polls early next year and Rana's entry is a shot in the arm for the party in western UP where it has emerged as a strong force since 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha on BSP ticket in 2014.
"I have faith in the developmental politics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and want to work for BJP," he said.
Maurya alleged both SP and BSP had become synonymous with corruption and BJP will put the state on the path to development if elected to power.
