<p class="title">With the BJP denying tickets to 12 MPs in Uttar Pradesh, the Opposition is planning to cash in on the clout of these disgruntled parliamentarians in the upcoming general elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its list of 61 candidates, the saffron party has refused tickets to 12 MPs, two of whom have already switched sides and joined the rival parties--Samajwadi Party and Congress.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP Allahabad MP Shayama Charan Gupta and Bahraich MP Savitri Bai Phule are now official candidates of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress from Banda and Bahraich, respectively.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Another BJP MP Anshul Verma from Hardoi also joined the SP ahead of the polls, terming the ruling party "anti-Dalits".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Although Verma claimed that he joined the Akhilesh Yadav-led party "without any condition", the Samajwadi Party is planning to utilise his support base among the Dalits, especially in Hardoi area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked about giving preference to BJP turncoats this election, SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said such a strategy is only aimed at "exposing misdeeds of the ruling party" in the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They are the ones who were on the ground for five years. They can very well tell the electorate what the BJP is and expose their misdeeds," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our alliance with the BSP and RLD is very powerful and that is why these leaders have faith in us," Kashyap said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The SP has tied up with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Chaudhary Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule, who resigned before the Lok Sabha polls were declared, is now a vocal critic of the saffron party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The BJP did nothing for Dalits and backwards. Its government functions in an unconstitutional manner and is conspiring to end reservation. I will ensure defeat of the BJP in my constituency and am ready to campaign wherever my party sends me," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP Ballia MP Bharat Singh had recently written an open letter to the people of his constituency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What is my fault? Why was I denied ticket? I have always taken up issues related to the constituency. The candidate announced from Ballia has no connect with the people here," he wrote.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Singh, however, did not talk about his future course of action.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP's Fatehpur Sikri MP Chowdhury Babulal has also openly shown his resentment after being denied ticket.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Kushinagar, supporters of BJP MP Rajesh Pandey protested against the denial of ticket to their leader and demanded the leadership to re-consider the decision.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other prominent BJP leaders who are missing from the party's list of candidates this time are Murli Manohar Joshi (Kanpur), Prikanka Rawat (Barabanki), Union minister Krishna Raj (Shahjahanpur-SC), Anju Bala (Misrikh-SC), Satypal Saini (Sambhal) and Ashok Kumar Dohre (Etawah).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Commenting on the trend of leaders switching allegiance over denial of tickets, BJP spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi said, "This happens during election time when leaders look for opportunities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our cadre is intact and people have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. There will be no impact of these leaders going to other parties," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the highest in the country.</p>
<p class="title">With the BJP denying tickets to 12 MPs in Uttar Pradesh, the Opposition is planning to cash in on the clout of these disgruntled parliamentarians in the upcoming general elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In its list of 61 candidates, the saffron party has refused tickets to 12 MPs, two of whom have already switched sides and joined the rival parties--Samajwadi Party and Congress.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP Allahabad MP Shayama Charan Gupta and Bahraich MP Savitri Bai Phule are now official candidates of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress from Banda and Bahraich, respectively.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Another BJP MP Anshul Verma from Hardoi also joined the SP ahead of the polls, terming the ruling party "anti-Dalits".</p>.<p class="bodytext">Although Verma claimed that he joined the Akhilesh Yadav-led party "without any condition", the Samajwadi Party is planning to utilise his support base among the Dalits, especially in Hardoi area.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Asked about giving preference to BJP turncoats this election, SP MLC Rajpal Kashyap said such a strategy is only aimed at "exposing misdeeds of the ruling party" in the state.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They are the ones who were on the ground for five years. They can very well tell the electorate what the BJP is and expose their misdeeds," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our alliance with the BSP and RLD is very powerful and that is why these leaders have faith in us," Kashyap said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The SP has tied up with Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Chaudhary Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for the Lok Sabha elections.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP MP Savitri Bai Phule, who resigned before the Lok Sabha polls were declared, is now a vocal critic of the saffron party.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"The BJP did nothing for Dalits and backwards. Its government functions in an unconstitutional manner and is conspiring to end reservation. I will ensure defeat of the BJP in my constituency and am ready to campaign wherever my party sends me," she said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP Ballia MP Bharat Singh had recently written an open letter to the people of his constituency.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"What is my fault? Why was I denied ticket? I have always taken up issues related to the constituency. The candidate announced from Ballia has no connect with the people here," he wrote.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Singh, however, did not talk about his future course of action.</p>.<p class="bodytext">BJP's Fatehpur Sikri MP Chowdhury Babulal has also openly shown his resentment after being denied ticket.</p>.<p class="bodytext">In Kushinagar, supporters of BJP MP Rajesh Pandey protested against the denial of ticket to their leader and demanded the leadership to re-consider the decision.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Other prominent BJP leaders who are missing from the party's list of candidates this time are Murli Manohar Joshi (Kanpur), Prikanka Rawat (Barabanki), Union minister Krishna Raj (Shahjahanpur-SC), Anju Bala (Misrikh-SC), Satypal Saini (Sambhal) and Ashok Kumar Dohre (Etawah).</p>.<p class="bodytext">Commenting on the trend of leaders switching allegiance over denial of tickets, BJP spokesman Shalabh Mani Tripathi said, "This happens during election time when leaders look for opportunities.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Our cadre is intact and people have faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. There will be no impact of these leaders going to other parties," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats, the highest in the country.</p>