<p>"I resigned from the BSP today. I have joined the BJP in the presence of party state unit president Krishna Pal Gujjar at a programme in Faridabad," Sharma said.<br /><br />"I categorically confirm that I will not contest the assembly elections in the state. But I will fully participate in the election campaign of BJP," he added.<br /><br />Sharma had contested from the Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency on a BSP ticket earlier this year.<br /><br />He said accepting a BJP ticket at this juncture would deprive a committed worker from the opportunity to contest.<br /><br />Sharma was critical of the BSP, saying the party was "engaged in selling ticket" to those wishing to contest.<br /><br />"The so-called social engineering of the BSP has failed. It has become shoshan (exploitation) engineering. The Brahmins have especially suffered under BSP," he alleged.<br /><br />The ace cricketer was the first to get a hat-trick in one-day cricket but had drawn a lot of ire after he was hit for a six on the last ball of a final in 1986 at Sharjah by Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad which cost India the match.<br /><br />Sharma said he had a clean record as a cricketer and could not bear to be with a "corrupt" BSP.<br /><br />He earlier held a meeting with BJP president Rajnath Singh before taking the plunge.</p>
<p>"I resigned from the BSP today. I have joined the BJP in the presence of party state unit president Krishna Pal Gujjar at a programme in Faridabad," Sharma said.<br /><br />"I categorically confirm that I will not contest the assembly elections in the state. But I will fully participate in the election campaign of BJP," he added.<br /><br />Sharma had contested from the Faridabad Lok Sabha constituency on a BSP ticket earlier this year.<br /><br />He said accepting a BJP ticket at this juncture would deprive a committed worker from the opportunity to contest.<br /><br />Sharma was critical of the BSP, saying the party was "engaged in selling ticket" to those wishing to contest.<br /><br />"The so-called social engineering of the BSP has failed. It has become shoshan (exploitation) engineering. The Brahmins have especially suffered under BSP," he alleged.<br /><br />The ace cricketer was the first to get a hat-trick in one-day cricket but had drawn a lot of ire after he was hit for a six on the last ball of a final in 1986 at Sharjah by Pakistan batsman Javed Miandad which cost India the match.<br /><br />Sharma said he had a clean record as a cricketer and could not bear to be with a "corrupt" BSP.<br /><br />He earlier held a meeting with BJP president Rajnath Singh before taking the plunge.</p>