Aparna Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party

Aparna Yadav, daughter-in-law of former state chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, dealing a major blow to the Samajwadi Party (SP) ahead of the 2018 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections (January 19, 2022).

In the presence of BJP State President Swatantra Dev Singh and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Aparna Yadav joined the party.

After joining the party, Yadav praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

She also stated that the Modi-led government's policies have always impressed her.

Aparna is also expected to meet BJP national president JP Nadda later in the day.

Aparna Yadav to stand for assembly seat in Lucknow Cantt?

Aparna Yadav, according to sources, has applied for a ticket from the Lucknow Cantt assembly constituency.

However, rumours are circulating that BJP's Rita Bahuguna Joshi's son, Mayank Joshi, is vying for the assembly election ticket from Lucknow Cantt, the seat his mother won in the 2017 state elections but vacated in 2019 after she was elected to the Lok Sabha from Allahabad.

Suresh Chandra Tiwari of the BJP then defeated Aparna Yadav in a bye-election in Lucknow Cantt in 2019.

Lucknow Cantt is one of the nine assembly constituencies of Lucknow district, with a sizable Hindu Brahmin population. In Uttar Pradesh's fourth phase of elections, polling in Lucknow Cantt is set for February 23.

Between February 10 and March 7, elections to the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven rounds. The results of the election will be announced on March 10.