Lucknow: Several Samajwadi Party leaders pledged allegiance to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Lucknow on Sunday, dealing a blow to the opposition ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak was present during the BJP's induction of former Samajwadi Party MLA Jai Choubey and a number of other politicians, including Jagat Jaiswal and Balram Yadav.
Deputy Chief Minister Pathak welcomed the newcomers and stated, "Today, we have several district presidents and a former MLA join our party. Greetings and congrats to each and every one of you. We are also being joined by those who operate at the block level. They face a heavy burden of obligation." Speaking to the assembly, Pathak stressed, "It is your collective decision to become members of the BJP... With PM Modi at the helm, the BJP has gained popular support. We have pledged to create a "Developed India" under PM Modi's leadership, and I have faith that each and every one of you will help realize this goal."
There are polls in all seven phases of the Lok Sabha elections, with the most parliamentary constituencies (eighty) in the state of Uttar Pradesh.Eight parliamentary constituencies held their first round of voting on April 19; the remaining eight constituencies held their second round of voting on April 26. Constituencies including Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Budh Nagar, Aligarh, Mathura, and Bulandshahr cast their votes during the second phase.
In phases three and four, the state will poll again on May 7 and May 13, respectively. Phases five, six, and seven will poll again on May 20, May 23, and June 1. The date of the vote count is June 4.
