Ashok Dohare, BJP’s sitting MP from Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, will contest on a Congress ticket from the constituency. This was announced hours after he joined the party in New Delhi on Friday, second BJP Dalit MP to do so after Savitri Bai Phule.
Dohare was reportedly upset about being denied a ticket by the BJP, which fielded Ram Shankar Katheria this time. Katheria was moved from Agra to Etawah
Dohare is the BJP’s third Dalit MP and fourth lawmaker in recent weeks to switch parties. Earlier, Dalit MP from Hardoi Anshul Verma and MP from Allahabad Shyama Charan Gupta defected to the Samajwadi Party.
Gupta has been named SP candidate from Banda while there is speculation that Anshul may also be fielded on SP ticket.