Lucknow, Dec 12 (IANS): The Samajwadi Party got a major boost on Sunday when three BSP leaders -- Vinay Shankar Tiwari, Kushal Tiwari and Ganesh Shankar Pandey joined the party in presence of party president Akhilesh Yadav.

Vinay Shankar Tiwari, MLA, and Kushal Tiwari, former MP, are sons of former minister Hari Shankar Tiwari who is an erstwhile mafia don and one of the tallest Brahmin leaders of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Ganesh Shankar Pandey is the nephew of Hari Shankar Tiwari and also the former chairperson of the UP Legislative Council.

With their joining the Samajwadi Party, Akhilesh Yadav is bound to benefit from Brahmin support - more so, since the Thakur-Brahmin hostilities are more pronounced in the region.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Sant Kabir Nagar, Digvijay Narain Chaubey also joined the SP on Sunday.

Welcoming the leaders into his party, Akhilesh said that there was no stopping the Samajwadis from forming government now.

"People have seen through the lies being spoken by the ruling party and they stand completely exposed. The joining of these leaders will further strengthen the party and also prove that people have faith in us," he said.