Yogi Adityanath's once right-hand joins Samajwadi Party

Sunil Singh, who once compared his relationship with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Lord Ram and Hanuman, vowed to defeat Bharatiya Janata Party.

Singh also merged his party Hindu Vahini (Bharat) with SP.

Once known as Adityanath's right-hand and his blue-eyed boy, Singh met the SP chief a week ago and decided to join the party along with hundreds of his supporters. He was ousted from Hindu Yuva Vahini before the 2017 Assembly elections after a fell out with the chief minister.

He was later sent to jail and booked under the National Security Act when he declared himself as the national president of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, an outfit patronised by Adityanath himself. The leader subsequently floated his own outfit called Hindu Yuva Vahini (Bharat).

The leader was released in 2019 and tried to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but his nomination was rejected.

"The BJP has deceived the people of the state, from farmers to common man to youth, everyone is feeling cheated today. It is high time we get rid of the BJP and its misrule in the state. As youngsters and people of Uttar Pradesh still have confidence in the young and able leadership of Akhilesh, I along with my followers across state have joined the SP," Mr Singh told reporters here.

"It is clear today that in 2022 state assembly polls it will be a SP government in the state. People do not believe in the policies of BJP anymore as they simply made false promises durimg elections. Today the unemployment is at an all time high and businessmen are crying over losses. We will make sure that BJP is dethroned in the 2022 state assembly polls," Singh added.

Among the prominent leaders who joined the SP was former BSP candidate from Mohanlalganj LS seat C L Verma.

At the dais, the new entrants affirmed that they would put all their effort so that SP comes back to power in the state.