Ex-minister Dharmendra Kashyap joins Samajwadi Party after BJP denies ticket

Former Uttar Pradesh minister Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap joined the Samajwadi Party on Tuesday after being denied a Rajya Sabha ticket by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Kashyap, noting that his return would strengthen the party ahead of the state assembly elections scheduled for early next year.

Kashyap criticized the ruling government's law and order situation during a Lucknow press conference, months after losing his Lok Sabha seat in 2024.