The 2014 Lok Sabha elections witnessed several political leaders defecting from one party to another, with only some of them who joined the BJP tasted electoral success.
Among the big defectors who could grab a seat in the 16th Lok Sabha include Rao Indrajit Singh, Om Prakash Yadav, Sushil Kumar Singh, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Jagdambika Pal, Dharamvir Singh, Ajay Nishad, Santosh Kumar, Mehboob Ali Kaiser, Ashok Kumar Dohare, Vidyut Baran Mahato, Col. Sonaram Choudhary, Ram Kripal Yadav, and Heena Gavit.
Despite a change in allegiance, several leaders who could not record a win this time around include Amar Singh, Jaya Prada, Hemlal Murmu, Puranmasi Ram, Putul Kumari among others.
In Uttar Pradesh, which is considered crucial for any political party's prospects in the Lok Sabha elections, as many as 19 defectors joined BJP, while Mulayam Singh inducted 15 defectors into the Samajwadi Party.
Seven defectors each joined the Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party in UP. Ajit Singh also inducted three leaders into his Rashtriya Lok Dal ahead of the elections.
However, most of the defectors who joined SP, BSP or RLD could open their accounts in the Lok Sabha results for which were declared on May 16.
Both defectors Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Jagdambika Pal clinched two parliamentary seats for the BJP in UP.
On the other hand, Amar Singh and Jaya Prada failed to open the account for RLD, which did not get a single seat in the Lok Sabha.
In Bihar, ruling JD(U) fought on 38 of 40 parliamentary seats out of which had 13 defectors, of which only Santosh Kumar Purniya who defected from BJP could win a seat.
BJP had allowed seats to nine outside candidates on the 30 seats it contested from Bihar, of which five registered a win.
RJD gave a chance to four outsides to contest out of 27 seats while Congress which contested on 12 seats allowed only two outside candiates.
In Maharasthra, Shiv Sena faced a setback when just few days before the elections its sitting Shirdi MP Bhausaheb Wakchaure decided to defect to Congress. He lost the Lok Sabha seat for the Congress. Anant Prakash Paranjpe also lost the election.
Former Shiv Sena spokesperson Rahul Narvekar also defected to Rashtriya Kranti Party, Ramesh Kadam of RKP joined Shetkari Kamgar Paksha, while RKP defector Sanjay Kaka Patil won a Lok Sabha seat for BJP.
In Haryana, to contest for the 10 Lok Sabha seats three leaders defected to BJP, one defected to Haryana Janhit Congress. Rao Indrajit Singh who got BJP ticket to contest for Gurgaon won the parliamentary seat for the party. While Ramesh Chander also won the Sonipat seat for the BJP.
In Rajasthan, three leaders from other parties were inducted into the BJP and one defected to the Congress.
Controversial Barmer constituency was taken away from BJP rebel Jaswant Singh to be given to Congress defector Col Sona Ram Choudhary, who won the seat for BJP.
In Bihar, among those who defected from one party to another, Ram Kripal Yadav of BJP fought against RJD chief Lalu Yadav's daughter Misa Bharati and won Pataliputra seat. While expelled JDU leader Sushil Kumar Singh also won the Aurangabad seat for BJP.
Congress faced a major setback in Andhra Pradesh after the state's bifurcation due to which several leaders, former ministers defected to TDP, YSRC and BJP.
Former Congress minister D Purandeshvari defected to BJP while party MP Venkatrami Reddy defected to YSR Congress, but both failed to win the election for their respective parties.
Several Congress leaders left it to join the Telugu Desam Party.
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