BJP mulls fielding Jaya Prada against Azam from Rampur

LUCKNOW : Former Samajwadi Party (SP) Rampur MP Jaya Parada didn’t join the BJP on Monday amid the growing buzz that the Bollywood actorturned-politician could be fielded on the BJP ticket from Rampur.

The Samajwadi Party has fielded its Rampur MLA Azam Khan as its candidate from Rampur Lok Sabha constituency. This is the first occasion when Khan is contesting the parliamentary polls.

BJP leaders in Lucknow said that the final decision on Jaya Prada’s joining the party would be taken at the party’s Central Election Committee meeting in Delhi.

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She was to join the BJP today itself. But the expected joining has been delayed ostensibly because the party’s top leadership is deliberating on many issues including fielding her from Rampur A BJP LEADER

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma along with UP BJP general secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal and party’s state chief Mahendra Nath Pandey had earlier been summoned to Delhi by the party for consultations.

Jayaprada is a two-term former Rampur MP who has shared a stormy relationship with Azam Khan who was bitterly opposed to her when she was the SP MP.

Considered close to former SP MP Amar Singh, who has since grown close to the BJP, Jaya Prada is being considered the BJP’s best bet to take on Azam Khan. “She was to join the BJP today itself. But the expected joining has been delayed ostensibly because the party’s top leadership is deliberating on many issues including fielding her from Rampur. Once the BJP leadership makes up its mind, the joining will happen, probably on Tuesday,” a BJP leader said.