With a few weeks left for the Lok Sabha 2019 elections, veteran actress Jaya Prada joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, March 26. The actor-turned-politician is likely to contest the election from Rampur Lok Sabha seat, which she had won in the past, against Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan.
Jaya Prada had started her political career with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) before joining the SP. She and former Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh were expelled from the party for indulging in activities inimical to the party's political interests and damaging its image.
The former Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur had started the Rashtriya Lok Manch along with Singh after being expelled from the party. She HAD also made serious allegations against senior SP leader and Rampur MLA Azam Khan, including a claim that he "attempted an acid attack" on her. Jaya Prada and Azam Khan had a public fall out when both were part of the SP in 2009.
Rampur is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, which was formed before 1957. The polling in UP, which sends the largest number of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, will be held in seven phases. Voting in UP will be held on April 11, 18, 23, 29, May 6, 12, 19.
