Another Akhilesh kin, Cong's 'ladki hoon' poster girl join BJP

Former Samajwadi Party MLA Pramod Gupta, relative of the party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Priyanka Maurya, the face of Congress' 'Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon' poster in Uttar Pradesh, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in Lucknow on Thursday.

Gupta's joining comes a day after Yadav's daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav joined the BJP in Delhi on Wednesday.

The duo joined the party in the presence of former state unit president, and head of the BJP Joining Committee, Laxmikant Bajpai.

"An important political name and a member of Samajwadi Party family and former MLA of Auraiya, Pramod Guptaji is joining the BJP family today," Bajpai said welcoming Gupta.

"I want to remind that from the family of Mulayam Singh ji who is respected by all of us... after his 'samdhi' Hariom Yadav ji, daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav and today his 'saadhu' (brother-in-law) Pramod Gupta ji is joining the BJP family and you all know the value of 'saadhu' in a family," Bajpai said.

Introducing Maurya, Bajpai said she is the poster girl of the Congress leader Priyanka Vadra Gandhi and exuded confidence that she will now use her power and capabilities in giving strength and momentum to the election campaign of the BJP.

Maurya is a homeopath and a social activist having a large following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Bajpai said.

Along with them, Ayodhya's folk singer Vandana Mishra also joined the BJP.

Speaking to media persons, Gupta alleged "No one is being allowed to meet Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has been kept as hostage by Akhilesh Yadav."

"Mulayam Singh and Shivpal Singh have been harassed in the Samajwadi Party and the party workers are very sad. Those who used to use foul language against Mulayam Singhji are being given importance in the party. Where will the socialist ideology go under such circumstances," Gupta asked.

Gupta was the SP MLA from Auraiya's Bidhuna constituency in 2012. He is related to Sadhna Gupta, the second wife of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.