National General Secretary Smriti Irani and State President administered the membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Amethi to MLA Gauriganj Shri Rakesh Pratap Singh, MLA GosaiGanj Shri Abhay Singh, and MLA Kalpi Shri Vinod Chaturvedi. (Credits: X @BJP4UP)Three of the seven rebel Samajwadi Party MLAs, who had cross-voted in the February 2024 Rajya Sabha elections, on Wednesday formally joined the BJP in Amethi.Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh and Vinod Chaturvedi joined the BJP at a party membership programme in the presence of Union Minister and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary and newly appointed party national general secretary Smriti Irani.While Gauriganj MLA Rakesh Pratap Singh and Gosaiganj MLA Abhay Singh were expelled from the Samajwadi Party a year ago, Kalpi legislator Vinod Chaturvedi continued as an SP MLA.Speaking at the event in Gauriganj, from where he was elected as an MLA in the 2022 Assembly elections, Rakesh Pratap Singh called his decision to join the BJP as “ghar wapasi” (homecoming). “I had worked for the BJP during the 1993 and 1996 Lok Sabha elections but stayed away from the party for several years. I began my political journey as a gram pradhan in Byasi. Development in our area remained incomplete despite successive governments allocating funds, as the work did not materialise on the ground. What we have received under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not happen in 70 years. Influenced by their work, I joined the BJP,” he said.Abhay Singh said he was hurt by the SP leadership’s response to incidents involving Ramcharitmanas. “I was hurt by the way actions opposing Lord Ram and Sanatan Dharma were carried out, and no protest was made when copies of the Ramcharitmanas were torn and burnt,” the Gosaiganj MLA alleged.He also accused the SP of supporting forces opposed to national interests and alleged that its government between 2012 and 2017 favoured people from a particular caste and region in recruitment.Also Read | Behind the clash at UP Congress office: An early test for party before 2027 pollsKalpi MLA Chaudhary, meanwhile, targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, accusing him of insulting Uttar Pradesh and questioning his claims about an alleged assault by young people from the state during a protest in Delhi. He said voters would teach the SP a lesson.Story continues below this adWelcoming the rebel SP MLAs from three different regions of UP, Irani said, “The strength of Kashi, Bundelkhand and Awadh has come together under one roof.”Also Read | Uttar Pradesh is the next big battle. Will Jantar Mantar 2.0 have a say?She led the BJP’s attack on the Congress and SP, questioning the Congress leadership’s ability to lead the country and accusing it of targeting the Election Commission instead of examining the reasons for its electoral defeats.Without naming the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and the Gandhi family, Irani said no number of political parties coming together could fulfil the Congress’s ambition of making its “prince” an “emperor”.“You may bring together as many political parties as you want to make your prince an emperor, but the truth about Uttar Pradesh is that since 1989, you have repeatedly lost Assembly elections. Instead of examining the reasons behind this, the Congress is now accusing the Election Commission of interference,” the former MP from Amethi said.Amethi bears witness to the fact that if the Congress’s top family cannot contest elections in this constituency on its own, how can it lead the country on its own?,” she asked, referring to the Congress fielding Gandhi family aide Kishori Lal Sharma in Amethi in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sharma went on to defeat Irani.Story continues below this adIrani also attacked the Samajwadi Party, saying the BJP punctured the SP’s bicycle and would further weaken its prospects.Also Read | 2027 first: Why Congress walked away from UP MLC polls after a year’s prepThe bicycle is SP’s election symbol.Maulshree Seth is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, based in Lucknow. With over 15 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she has built a formidable reputation for her on-ground reporting across Uttar Pradesh. Her expertise spans a wide array of critical beats, including state politics, governance, the judiciary, and rural development. Authoritativeness Maulshree’s work is characterized by depth and historical context. Her coverage of high-stakes state elections and landmark judicial rulings has established her as an authoritative voice on the intersection of law and politics in Northern India. She is frequently recognized for her ability to gain access to primary sources and for her nuanced understanding of the socio-economic factors that drive the world's most populous sub-national entity. Trustworthiness & Ethical Journalism Her reporting is rooted in rigorous fact-checking and a steadfast dedication to neutral, unbiased storytelling. By prioritizing field-based verification—often traveling to the most remote corners of the state—she ensures that her readers receive a truthful and comprehensive view of events. ... 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