Two Samajwadi Party leaders join BJP in UP

New Delhi: Two Samajawadi Party leaders from Uttar Pradesh today joined the Bharatiya Janata Party ahead of the Assembly polls in the state due next year.

SP’s former Meerut Zila Panchayat president, Maninder Pal Singh, and Yuva Morcha state secretary, Rahul Yadav, joined the BJP along with their supporters in the presence of UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya at the party’s headquarters here.

The entry of the two leaders in BJP will strengthen the party in the state, Maurya said.

Singh had contested Panchayat polls in 2011 as a BJP-backed candidate but had later switched over to SP to become the panchayat president.

Rourkela (Odisha), Jun 19 (PTI) Accusing Naveen Patnaik regime in Odisha of being highly inefficient and corrupt, BJP today alleged that the state received adequate central funds but BJD always levelled allegation of negligence by NDA government in order to hide its inabilities.

Addressing the state executive meeting of BJP in Sundargarh, senior leaders including Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan charged the BJD government with being a total failure and neck-deep in corruption amid chit-fund and other scams.

“This government is inefficient and ineffective. It should not be allowed to continue any longer. BJD must be dethroned in order to safeguard the interest of the people of the state,” said Pradhan in his speech.

“The BJD government is availing all the benefits from central funds but always blaming the Centre and levelling false allegation of negligence. It is unable to spend central funds but always complaining to hide its inefficiency,” Pradhan claimed.

Pradhan alleged that there were large scale irregularities in distribution of ration cards under National Food Security Act and preparation of BPL list.

The state Government is only filling the coffers of its cadres as majority of card holders are BJD cadres which proves the ruling party is cheating the poor, said Pradhan.

Pradhan said BJP would not allow Naveen government to play with the sentiments of the citizens of the state and would go on exposing it.

Senior leader Saudan Singh said, “We are taking all steps to strengthen the party at the grass root level. From now on there would be a state executive, district executive and block executive meeting in every three months.”

Jual Oram in his speech asked the cadres to unite and work for strengthening the party. He also spoke extensively about the developmental and welfare activities undertaken by his ministry.

Oram alleged that funds meant for the tribals remained unspent by the BJD government which is a tragedy for the state.

“The state government is only shedding crocodile tears for the tribals. In reality it is against the tribal people,” the senior tribal leader claimed.

BJP’s Odisha unit president Basant Panda said the party would further expose BJD leaders for their alleged role in chit fund scam.

PTI