Denied ticket, BJP MP from Hardoi Anshul Verma joins Samajwadi Party

Anshul Verma, the BJP’s Member of Parliament from Hardoi, joined the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday after being denied a party ticket. He was inducted in the presence of SP president Akhilesh Yadav and senior leader Azam Khan.

A ‘chowkidar’ resignation

Verma said he had handed his resignation as a ‘chowkidar’ (watchman) to a guard at the BJP office in Lucknow earlier that day and had also given him a day’s wages. Speaking to reporters at the SP office, he asked how many people would want their children to become chowkidars, and said the BJP had objected that he had not written ‘chowkidar’ on his wall. He added that he had worked for development and would continue to do so.

Allegations against the BJP

Verma, who belongs to the Pasi community, alleged that he had been denied a ticket because he was not from an upper caste. He also said he had recently objected to liquor being distributed by a BJP worker on temple premises in Hardoi and had written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about it, but no action had been taken.

Asked whether he would contest the Lok Sabha election on an SP ticket, Verma said he had joined the party sincerely and would take up whatever role it assigned him.

What happened next

In the 2019 general election the BJP won 303 of 543 seats, and Narendra Modi was sworn in for a second term on 30 May 2019.

See also: Lok Sabha members.

Originally published on 28 March 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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