Did not use govt machinery to trigger defections: Shah

BJP chief Amit Shah on Monday dismissed allegations of the BJP having engineered defections in rival parties, claiming a misinformation campaign was being carried out as those who had joined the party had done so during elections.

Talking to reporters on the last day of his three-day visit, he said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had resigned as he did not want to put up with corruption.

Shah also said he does not have information about three the MLCs (two from SP and one from BSP) who had resigned from the UP Legislative Council.

"Whosoever came to the BJP from other political parties, had done so during elections. But, a misinformation campaign (kuprachaar) was carried out," he said about allegations that the party had triggered defections in other parties.

"All the politicians from other parties, who had joined the BJP, were presented before the people of the state to seek their mandate. We did not misuse the government machinery for triggering defection," he said.

"In Bihar, we did not break any party. Nitish Kumar had tendered his resignation as he had decided that he will not put up with corruption," he said.

On the possibility of senior SP leader Shivpal Yadav joining the party, he said, "There are no such plans."

The BJP chief, while answering a question on eyeing the Yadavs–the traditional votebank of the SP–and having a lunch at the house of party worker, Shah said, "There is no need to derive more political meaning from this. Dalits are also BJP workers, and Sonu Yadav is also a BJP worker."

On Sunday, Shah along with Adityanath and both the deputy chief ministers had visited Yadav's house for lunch.