Saharanpur, May 19 -- In a major political development ahead of upcoming electoral contests in Uttar Pradesh, several prominent leaders from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) jumped ship to join the Indian National Congress here on Tuesday.

The political inductions took place in the presence of senior party leadership during a massive Congress Workers' Conference held in Saharanpur.

The new members were formally welcomed into the party fold by All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary and UP In-Charge Avinash Pande, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) President Ajay Rai, and Saharanpur Member of Parliament Imran Masood.

"We welcome our brothers and sisters from the Samajwadi Party and BSP into t...