The ruling BJP received a shot in its arm ahead of the crucial Kairana lok Sabha bypoll when senior Rashtriya lok Dal (RlD) leader Chaudhary Sahab Singh along with several BSP leaders joined the party on Friday.
State BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey welcomed the leader into the party fold at the state BJP headquarters in lucknow.
Among the BSP leaders who switched over are former BSP co-ordinator of Moradbad, Charan Singh Bharati Jatav and former Moradabad district chief of BSP, Rajni Kant Jatav.
Sahab Singh was also a Minister of state in Samajwadi Party regime. The joining of the RlD leader is seen as a big political score by the BJP before the Kairana bypoll as Sahab Singh has a big clout in Kairana and Baghpat areas.
The bypoll of Kairana lok Sabha would be held on May 28.
BJP candidate Mriganka Singh is directly in contest against a joint opposition and RlD candidate Tabbassum from the seat.