Former Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya, Dharam Singh Saini and Dara Singh Chauhan, along with other MLAs who defected from the BJP, will join the Samajwadi Party on Friday.
After resigning from the ruling BJP earlier this week, former Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya, Dharam Singh Saini and Dara Singh Chauhan will join the Samajwadi Party on Friday.
Several other MLAs who defected from the BJP over the past few days are also expected to be inducted into the Akhilesh Yadav-led party during a ceremony at 11 am today.
The BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit has witnessed a string of defections over the last few days, starting with cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya. At the time, Maurya had said that many more legislators would follow suit.
He said he was resigning due to “gross neglect” towards Dalits, backwards, farmers, unemployed youth and small traders. Over the following days, several other BJP MLAs Brajesh Prajapati, Roshan Lal Varma, Bhagwati Sagar, Mukesh Verma, Vinay Shakya among others, quit the party.
OBC leader Dara Singh Chauhan resigned on Wednesday from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. Chauhan said he had worked with dedication for the past five year but Dalits, the OBCs and the unemployed did not get justice from the BJP government.
Dharam Singh Saini, the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ayush, Food Security and Drug Administration, stoked speculation that he was quitting the BJP after he returned the security cover and residence allotted to him by the state government on Thursday. He then officially resigned from his post later that day.
Speaking to India Today, Dharam Singh Saini said that one Uttar Pradesh minister and two or three BJP MLAs will resign each day till January 20.
Most of the eight MLAs, including the ministers, who have declared they are quitting BJP during the last three days are from the Other Backward Classes. Following their resignations, SP president Akhilesh Yadav wasted no time in “welcoming” Maurya, Saini and Dara Singh to the party, posting photos of himself with the former BJP leaders on Twitter.
The desertions by mostly non-Yadav OBC leaders is likely to strengthen the SP influence over those communities. Altogether, the OBCs form 50 per cent of the UP population and play a crucial role in the upcoming state assembly polls.
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections will be held in seven phases. Polling will be held from February 10 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.
