New Delhi: Ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Aparna Yadav, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law joined BJP on Wednesday in the presence of deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and BJP State president Swatantra Dev Singh.

After joining the party, Aparna said, "I am very thankful to BJP. The nation always comes first for me. I admire PM Modi's work."

"I have always been very vocal about the policies and  ideologies of PM Modi and BJP. Nationalism is a very important aspect of my life. I've always thought of nation before anything," said Apran Yadav to news agency ANI.

Asked about whether she would contest from Lucknow Cantt seat, she said, "Whatever they'll say, I do it." 

Aparana has a Master degree in International Relations and is engaged in social service, and trained in classical music at Bhatkhande Music Institute, Lucknow. She runs an organisation known as bAware, especially working toward women rights and empowerment. 

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Aparana married Mulayam's son Prateek Yadav in 2011. She contested the 2017 Assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt and lost by a margin of 33,796 votes against then Congress candidate Rita Bahuguna. 

In 2015, Aparna praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Swachch Bharat Abhiyan, shared a selfie with Modi on social media, and posted against cow slaughter. Also, she had opposed Aamir Khan for his comments on intolerance at a time when Mulayam has expressed his support to the actor.

In 2017, when Samajwadi Party was on the verge of a split, Aparna had asked Akhilesh Yadav to step down as the party national President in his father`s favour.

ये अखिलेश जी की मुख्यमंत्री और सांसद के रूप में असफलता ही है, जिसकी वजह से वे विधानसभा चुनाव लड़ने से बच रहे हैंः उप मुख्यमंत्री श्री @kpmaurya1 #सबका_साथ_सबका_विकास pic.twitter.com/0kwlaIrXc6

— BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) January 19, 2022