Haji Yaqoob, a former Bahujan Samaj Party minister and a close associate of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati, on Friday said he will join the Samajwadi Party with 21 BSP MLAs.
 
"I will make my move at an appropriate time," he told PTI.

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Yaqoob claimed his group will join a couple of other groups of disgruntled BSP MLAs to quit. "Altogether, 50 BSP MLAs will cross over to the SP and hence they would not attract the provisions of the Anti-Defection Law," he said.

Yaqoob represents Kharkhauda in Meerut district in the UP assembly.