A day ahead of the second phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections, YouTuber Manish Kashyap joined the BJP.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who played a role in Kashyap’s joining of the saffron party, said the YouTuber joined the party to work for the welfare of people. “I think a man like Manish Kashyap, who raises public’s issues, the BJP is with him. I have known Manish from the beginning. He wants welfare of the poor. He has joined PM Modi for welfare of the poor,” Tiwari said.

After joining the party, Kashyap said his fight is against those who defame Sanatana and are against nationalism.”We came from Bihar with Manoj Tiwari, yesterday. I could be released from jail only due to them and the bad days of my life ended. So, I joined the BJP. We have to strengthen Bihar. Lalu’s family looted and destroyed Bihar. My fight is against those who defame Sanatana and those who are against nationalism and this will continue,” Kashyap told a news agency.

Kashyap also met BJP national president JP Nadda later in the day. After joining the party, the YouTuber said the BJP is a party with a difference and he will keep working for nationalism. “Only the BJP could have given this honour to the son of a poor family. There are a few parties in Bihar that don’t let you join if you don’t approach with full (of cash) suitcases. BJP respects the poor, women, YouTubers. So, the BJP is a different party and that is why it has emerged as the biggest capable party in the world,” Kashyap said.

Earlier, the Madras High Court quashed the detention order against Manish Kashyap. While quashing the detention order, the HC observed that the authorities had not followed due procedure while detaining Kashyap under the NSA Act. The court thus directed Kashyap to be set at liberty if he was not needed in connection with any other case.

The case pertains to a complaint lodged in connection with an alleged fake video that was uploaded on YouTube in March this year claiming that migrant workers from Bihar were being assaulted in Tamil Nadu and that they were not safe in the state.