Lucknow: The BJP today received a shot in the arm as six MLAs from Congress, BSP and SP joined the party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections due early next year.

Three of them are from Congress, two from BSP and one SP.

The MLAs, who joined BJP in presence of state party chief Keshav Prasad Maurya are Sanjay Jaiswal, Vijay Dubey and Madhuri Verma (all Congress), Rajesh Tripathi and Bala Prasad Awasthi (both BSP) and Sher Bahadur (SP).

Sanjay Jaiswal is MLA from Rudauli in Basti district, Madhuri Verma represents Nanpara seat in Bahriach district while Vijay Dubey is member from Khadda seat in Kushinagar district.

Rajesh Tripathi is MLA from Chillupar, whereas Bala Prasad Awasthi was elected from Mohammadi seat in Kheri. SP MLA Sher Bahadur represents Jalalpur in Ambedkarnagar.

A number of BSP leaders, including sitting and former MLAs, ex-MLCs and some others yesterday joined BJP in the presence of Swami Prasad Maurya, Keshav Prasad Maurya, general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak and MLA Gopalji Tandon.

Uttar Pradesh will go to polls early next year to elect 403 law makers and political activities have hotted up in the run up to the elections.

Yesterday three expelled Congress MLAs joined BSP along with an SP MLA and a BJP leader.

PTI