Ahead of Amit Shah’s visit, Congress MLA quits to join BJP in Amethi

“Despite having a government at the Centre for two terms (2004 to 2014), no significant step was taken to ensure development, and as a result Amethi became synonymous with bad roads… Congress indulged in ignoring its workers, while on the other hand, Smriti Irani, despite losing the elections, showed inclination towards development and also showed honour towards the workers. This prompted me to join the BJP,” he added.

Singh joined BJP in the presence of party state co-in charge Sunil Ojha and district president Uma Shanker Pandey. Union Minister Smriti Irani, who reached Amethi on Monday ahead of the BJP national president’s visit, skipped the event.

As a BSP nominee, Singh had won a bypoll from Gauriganj in 2003 by defeating BJP’s Tejbhan Singh. He had later joined SP and was made a state minister by then CM chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. He lost the 2007 election on a SP ticket. When SP denied him ticket in 2012, Singh joined Congress, which too denied him a ticket and made him the party state secretary. Congress denied him ticket in the 2017 polls as well.

Sources in BJP said Singh’s joining could lead to a situation of conflict within the party organisation in the district. Singh had always contested against Tejbhan Singh. Both belong to the Thakur community and are from Jamu block of Gauriganj.

BJP’s Amethi district vice-president, Govind Singh Chauhan, however, said: “Jang Bahadur’s presence will strengthen the party organisation.” WITH PTI