Ritesh Pandey, the Member of Parliament representing Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), tendered his resignation from the party on Sunday, citing feelings of neglect. Shortly after resigning, Pandey joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi, in the presence of senior leaders, including national general secretary Tarun Chugh.
Upon joining the BJP, Pandey expressed his determination to contribute towards securing more than 400 seats for the NDA in the Lok Sabha elections. Sources within the BJP indicated that Pandey may be nominated as the party’s candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Ambedkar Nagar.
In a letter addressed to BSP President Mayawati, Pandey reflected on his journey in public life, acknowledging the opportunities provided to him by the BSP, including representation in the Lok Sabha and the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, as well as the chance to serve as the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha. “For a long time, I have not been called to party meetings and the party leadership is also not communicating with me. I made several attempts to contact and meet you and other top office bearers but got no results. During this period, I kept on meeting the public and workers and continued working in the constituency. I have reached a conclusion that the party does not need my service and presence anymore,” the letter said.