Three rebel SP MLAs join BJP in UP

Rakesh Pratap Singh. Photo credit: X/@rpsmlagauriganj

Three rebel MLAs from the Samajwadi Party formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Amethi on Wednesday (October 14). The induction formalizes a split that began in February 2024 during the Rajya Sabha polls, when some MLAs cross-voted in favor of the BJP candidate. The rebel MLAs – Abhay Singh, Rakesh Pratap Singh and Vinod Chaturvedi – joined the BJP at an event attended by senior BJP leaders including national general secretary Smriti Irani and UP BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary.

Rakesh Pratap Singh is MLA from Gauriganj assembly seat in Amethi district while Abhay Singh is MLA from Goshainganj assembly seat in Ayodhya district and Vinod Chaturvedi is MLA from Kalpi in Jalaun district.

In his speech, State BJP President Pankaj Chaudhary was elated, “Three new members were inducted at a membership ceremony at Gauriganj in Amethi. The enthusiasm with which people from all walks of life are joining the BJP is clear that we will form the government in the state for the third time with a huge majority.”

Ms. Irani, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP OBC Morcha National President Amarpal Maurya, Lok Sabha Member from Bulandshahr Constituency Bhola Singh and former Union Minister Shri Sanjeev Balyan among others participated in the programme.

Hitting out at defectors, SP president Akhilesh Yadav said people come and go. “Even after years of waiting, they got nothing more than a membership ticket. Such people come and go, they stay there for years, but not as candidates because their membership took years,” Mr Yadav said in a post on X.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 21:56 IST