Ram Charitra Nishad, BJP MP from Machhlishahr, joins Samajwadi Party

In a setback to the BJP, its sitting MP from Machhlishahr joined the Samajwadi Party on Friday in the presence of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and party chief Akhilesh Yadav. 

The development comes days after the party had named V P Saroj as its candidate from Machhlishahr, replacing Nishad. 

Nishad was upset on Saroj being given ticket on the seat. Saroj, who was in Bahujan Samaj Party, had joined the BJP on March 22.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, Saroj was a BSP candidate from Machhlishahr and was defeated by Nishad by a huge margin.

The BJP had taken the decision while fielding local strongman Dinesh Pratap Singh against Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and  Bhojpuri singer Dinesh Lal Yadav against former chief minister and SP president Akhilesh Yadav in Azamgarh.

Uttar Pradesh is going to polls across all seven phases from April 11 till May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23. 

The BJP had swiped the 2014 general elections in the state, winning 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. This time, it faces a two-way challenge from the SP-BSP alliance and the Congress, which claims to have been rejuvenated by the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.