<p>In an apparent bid to consolidate its support base in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, ahead of the next general elections in 2024, the BJP has started wooing the leaders, especially those from the OBC community, and has succeeded in poaching around a dozen opposition leaders so far.</p>.<p>Several leaders of Samajwadi Party (SP) and its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on Monday joined the BJP in the presence of senior saffron party leaders at its state headquarters.</p>.<p>Prominent among those who joined the BJP, included Shalini Yadav, who had contested against prime minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi LS seat as an SP nominee, former minister and senior SP leader Sahib singh Saini and senior RLD leader Rajpal Saini.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/akhilesh-yadav-hits-out-at-bjp-after-opposition-meet-in-bengaluru-1238825.html">Akhilesh Yadav hits out at BJP after Opposition meet in Bengaluru</a></strong></p>.<p>Besides, a number of former SP legislators including Anshul Verma, Gulab Saroj and others also joined the BJP. Barely a few days back, former UP minister and senior SP leader Dara Singh Chauhan had also joined the BJP.</p>.<p>State BJP leaders here claimed that many more opposition leaders would be joining the saffron party in the days to come. ''Over a dozen SP, BSP and RLD leaders are in touch with us......they will join us in the very near future,'' said a senior BJP leader while speaking to DH here.</p>.<p>The leader said that the party's focus was on bringing as many OBC leaders to its fold as possible before the next LS poll. ''We need to expand our support base among the OBC community so that we may increase our tally further,'' he added.</p>.<p>His remarks assumed significance as the state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary had recently said that the saffron party might need to ''make up'' for a possible loss of LS seats in the other states from UP.</p>.<p>SP president Akhilesh Yadav, however, sought to downplay the desertions saying that the leaders who had left the party had lost popular support on their home turf and that their departure would not impact his party's chances in the LS poll.</p>
<p>In an apparent bid to consolidate its support base in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, ahead of the next general elections in 2024, the BJP has started wooing the leaders, especially those from the OBC community, and has succeeded in poaching around a dozen opposition leaders so far.</p>.<p>Several leaders of Samajwadi Party (SP) and its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) on Monday joined the BJP in the presence of senior saffron party leaders at its state headquarters.</p>.<p>Prominent among those who joined the BJP, included Shalini Yadav, who had contested against prime minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi LS seat as an SP nominee, former minister and senior SP leader Sahib singh Saini and senior RLD leader Rajpal Saini.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/state/karnataka-politics/akhilesh-yadav-hits-out-at-bjp-after-opposition-meet-in-bengaluru-1238825.html">Akhilesh Yadav hits out at BJP after Opposition meet in Bengaluru</a></strong></p>.<p>Besides, a number of former SP legislators including Anshul Verma, Gulab Saroj and others also joined the BJP. Barely a few days back, former UP minister and senior SP leader Dara Singh Chauhan had also joined the BJP.</p>.<p>State BJP leaders here claimed that many more opposition leaders would be joining the saffron party in the days to come. ''Over a dozen SP, BSP and RLD leaders are in touch with us......they will join us in the very near future,'' said a senior BJP leader while speaking to DH here.</p>.<p>The leader said that the party's focus was on bringing as many OBC leaders to its fold as possible before the next LS poll. ''We need to expand our support base among the OBC community so that we may increase our tally further,'' he added.</p>.<p>His remarks assumed significance as the state BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary had recently said that the saffron party might need to ''make up'' for a possible loss of LS seats in the other states from UP.</p>.<p>SP president Akhilesh Yadav, however, sought to downplay the desertions saying that the leaders who had left the party had lost popular support on their home turf and that their departure would not impact his party's chances in the LS poll.</p>