Former UPA minister Krishna Tirath (R) with BJP chief Amit Shah (C) and Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

NEW DELHI: Former UPA Cabinet minister and Congress leader Krishna Tirath joined BJP on Monday, in a move that may help the party gain support of dalits in the coming assembly elections.Krishna Tirath, who served as women child and development minister in the UPA Cabinet, met BJP chief Amit Shah and joined the party.'My role in the party will be decided by Amit Shah, but I will work for the people,' Tirath said after meeting the BJP chief.Reacting to the news, which came as a surprise to the Congress leaders, Ajay Maken said "it shows the nervousness of BJP."Ahead of Delhi assembly elections, this move may help the BJP garner support of dalit community, which is considered to be AAP bastion.Of the 12 reserved seats in Delhi, AAP won in 9 seats in the last assembly elections while the BJP won just two and Congress one.So far the BJP had been projecting north west Delhi MP Udit Raj, who had joined the party just before Lok Sabha elections as its dalit face. Sources say, the party will now project her also as its dalit face.Delhi BJP has called a press conference at 4pm.According to TV reports, BJP may field Krishna Tirath in the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.