BSP MP Ritesh Pandey resigns from party, joins BJP

Ahead of the upcoming general elections, former BSP Lok Sabha MP Ritesh Pandey on Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party hours after quitting the party's primary membership.

"Looking at PM Modi's vision, I have decided to join the BJP to contribute towards making India 'viksit'," said Pandey after joining the saffron party.

"For a long time, neither am I being called to attend party meetings nor has the party leadership spoken to me. I made numerous efforts to get in touch with and meet you (Mayawati) and the top leadership of the party but it did not yield any result," Pandey said in his resignation letter.


"During this time, I continuously met workers and supporters of other parties in my area and was also involved in various works going on in the constituency. Hence, I have come to the conclusion that the party does not need my service and presence," he said.

"So, I do not have any other option apart from resigning from the primary membership of the party. The decision to break the relationship with the party is a difficult decision from the emotional point of view," he added.

Pandey further urged Mayawati to accept his resignation.

(With PTI inputs)