Former BJP MP Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap joined the Samajwadi Party in Lucknow on Tuesday, October 27, marking a significant change in his political affiliation ahead of the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Kashyap into the party during a public event. Kashyap’s daughter, Kirti Kashyap, joined alongside him, while other political figures and supporters were also reported to have entered the party.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
Issue/Event: Former BJP MP Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap joined the Samajwadi Party.
Location: Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Authority/Organisation: Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav.
Action Taken: Kashyap and his daughter, Kirti Kashyap, joined the SP on October 27, 2026.
Impact: The move adds a former two-time Aonla MP to the SP as political preparations continue ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Kashyap represented the Aonla Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly region after winning the parliamentary elections in 2014 and 2019 on a BJP ticket. He lost the seat in the 2024 general election. His political career has included previous associations with the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party before he joined the BJP in 2013.
His move to the SP followed the BJP’s announcement of its Rajya Sabha candidates for Uttar Pradesh, which did not include his name. Earlier in October, Kashyap posted a sunset image accompanied by the words “Tata Bye-Bye” on social media, prompting speculation about his departure. He subsequently resigned from the BJP and met Akhilesh Yadav before formally joining the SP.
Speaking at the joining event, Kashyap criticised the BJP government’s handling of law and order and made allegations concerning the use of bulldozer action against disadvantaged communities. These remarks represent his political claims and should not be treated as independently established findings.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
Political positioning ahead of 2027: The change of party comes as political organisations prepare for the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. The induction gives the SP another experienced political figure with a background in the Bareilly and Rohilkhand region. Local influence and community outreach: Kashyap has been associated with the Kashyap community and backward-class politics in the region. The SP may seek to use his local network to broaden its support, but any resulting electoral gains will need to be demonstrated rather than assumed. A sign of candidate-related tensions: Kashyap’s move followed his exclusion from the BJP’s Rajya Sabha candidate list. The episode illustrates how candidate selection and expectations of political representation can affect party relationships. No automatic electoral advantage: A prominent leader changing parties does not necessarily translate into votes. Voter preferences, local rivalries, organisational strength and candidate selection will all influence the eventual outcome.
Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Kashyap’s entry, presenting it as a boost to the SP’s efforts to advance social justice. The induction also fits the party’s broader effort to strengthen its political outreach among communities beyond its traditional support base.
The immediate electoral impact of the switch remains uncertain. Its significance will depend on local organisation, voter response and the wider political alliances and candidate choices that emerge before the next state election.
