Subhash Pasi joins BJP after SP expels him for 'anti-party' activities; wife follows suit

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh MLA Subhash Pasi joined the BJP here Tuesday just after the Samajwadi Party expelled him for alleged anti-party activities. BJP state general secretary Govind Narain Shukla said Subhash Pasi’s wife Rina, who was the national general secretary of the Samajwadi Party Mahila Sabha, also joined the BJP in the presence of state party chief Swatantra Dev Singh. Welcoming Pasi in the party, Singh said his joining will further strengthen the BJP. Earlier in the day, Pasi, the MLA from Saidpur seat of Ghazipur, was expelled from the SP for alleged anti-party activities. The Dalit leader, a second time SP MLA from Saidpur seat, held the post of Samajwadi Party’s SC/ST wing. After he joined the BJP, Singh said, “Subhash Pasi and his wife Rina Pasi joined the BJP as they were influenced by the public welfare-centric ideology of the BJP.” Singh also attacked SP president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging he makes statement to appease certain sections of the society. “Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who laid the foundation for the division of India, Akhilesh Yadav termed him great, and compared him with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who united the country. Which path does Akhilesh Yadav want to take the country on?” Singh added that there was a time, when the people of the Congress, SP and BSP used to feel afraid of going to a temple and putting on a ’tilak’. “Owing to appeasement by the Congress, the level of politics has declined. They had rejected the existence of Prabhu Shri Ram, and had termed him imaginary. India functions as per the thought of Lord Ram. The BJP is moving ahead taking the ’tyaag’ (sacrifice) and ’tapasya’ (penance),” he said. Last week, BJP MLA from Sitapur Sadar, Rakesh Rathore, had joined the Samajwadi Party.