Former SP MLA Pramod Gupta and former Congress leader Priyanka Maurya on Thursday joined the BJP ahead of UP Assembly polls. 

Priyanka Maurya was the face of Congress ‘Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon’ poster in Uttar Pradesh. Maurya said that ‘Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon’ has been rendered as a mere slogan because “as a ‘ladki’ (woman), I was not allowed to contest elections because I could not pay bribe”

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Earlier on Wednesday Priyanka said, “I have worked a lot in the field but ticket distribution was pre-planned. I was not given a ticket, but I was a deserving candidate.”

“Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon” is a slogan but Congress didn’t give me a chance to fight,” she added.

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She claimed that instead of giving her a ticket, one was given to a person who joined the party just a month ago. “I completed all formalities but the ticket was pre-planned and was given to a person who came just a month back. I want to send this message to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi that such things are happening on the ground,” she added.

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Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.