BSP MP from Uttar Pradesh Sangeeta Azad joins BJP

BSP MP Sangeeta Azad, who represents Uttar Pradesh's Lalganj seat in the outgoing Lok Sabha, joined the BJP here on Monday in the presence of several senior leaders of the ruling party.

The Dalit leader was inducted into the BJP by its national general secretary Vinod Tawde, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak and state BJP president Bhupendra Singh.

Along with Sangeeta Azad, her husband Azad Ari Mardan, a former Uttar Pradesh legislator, and Supreme Court lawyer Seema Kushwaha, who has been associated with legal cases involving women victims, also joined the party.

Kushwaha was a legal counsel for the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case victim.

Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Azad expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief J P Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other leaders for inducting her into the ''BJP Family''.

The Lalganj MP described Prime Minister Modi as 'yugpurush' and said she decided to join the BJP after being ''impressed'' by his government's policies and the programmes launched for the welfare of the country's women, poor people and farmers.

''It's the beginning of a new life for me, the start of a new chapter in my life,'' she said.

Sangeeta Azad assured the BJP that she would fulfil the responsibility given by the party and try her best to meet expectations.

''I will give my complete support to the BJP in achieving the target of winning 400-plus seats in this Lok Sabha elections and also contribute to fulfilling the prime minister's resolve of making India a developed country,'' she added.

Tawde said the BJP will give Azad full opportunity to make her contribution.

The BJP has already named its candidate for the Lalganj Lok Sabha seat.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)