Lucknow: Former chief of Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) Sunil Singh, who was once considered close to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, joined the Samajwadi Party here on Saturday.

Singh joined the SP in the presence of party chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

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Some Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders also joined the SP at the party headquarters here.

Singh's shift of loyalty assumes significance as the HYV was founded by Adityanath in 2002 to promote "Hindutva and nationalism".

(PTI)