The party is targeting opposition members of Legislative Council who are vulnerable and willing to leave their parties.

It was not a coincidence that three opposition MLC resigned their membership and from the party to join BJP when national president Amit Shah was present in Lucknow. The resignation of Yashwant Singh and Bhukkal Nawab, the two MLCs from Samajwadi Party, and Thakur Jaiveer Singh, BSP, was part of a calculated move by the BJP.

Yashwant Singh resigned due to his mentor and powerful Thakur leader and former mafia Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, who had been supporting SP and was minister with Mulayam Singh and his son Akhilesh Singh. He is now joining hands with Thakur chief minister along with other important Thakur leaders.

Bhukkal Nawab was under tremendous pressure to save his properties from legal action as he was served notice by the government for illegal construction and recovery of huge penalty from him. Bhukkal had no option but to save his properties by quitting as MLC and pave the way for a minister. Similarly, Thakur Jaiveer Singh was feeling uncomfortable in BSP and his brother, who is a zilani panchayat president in Aligarh district, is facing a no-confidence motion from BJP.

BJP IS also exploiting the anger and frustration of various leaders in different parties and wooing them to join the party. Shifnal Yadav, senior Samajwadi Party leader and former minister and uncle of Akhilesh Yadav and younger brother of Mulayam Singh Yadav, who had enjoyed the status of number two, has met Yogi Adityanath and publicly praised the steps taken by the government.

Similarly younger daughter in law of Mulayam Singh Yadav and wife of step brother of Akhilesh Yadav, Aparna Yadav, too met Yogi Adityanath and publicly praised the government.

Much significance is also attached to the reception hosted by party leader Naresh Agarwal, MP to celebrate 25 years of Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav as MP, which was attended by PM Modi and Arun Jaitley along with senior leaders of RSS. The absence of Akhilesh Yadav was very much discussed in the political circles in Lucknow and Delhi.

There are reports that more MLCs could resign from their parties in future to safeguard their empire from central and State agencies preparing to take action. But at the same time the issue of joint opposition candidate against BJP forced party president Amit Shah to look for safe passage. Besides Yogi Adiyanath, deputy chief ministers KP Maurya and Dinesh Sharma and Mohsin Raza, another cabinet minister and Muslim face of party, are not members of any house and have to get elected. (IPA Service)