In a major jolt to the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, State Minister Swami Prasad Maurya quit the party and will join the Samajwadi Party (SP).
In the resignation letter to UP Governor Anandiben Patel, Maurya said, “I served as a Minister of labour and social welfare in the state under CM Yogi Adityanath. I am tendering my resignation as the Minister because the Government did not serve the marginalised section of the people.”
दलितों, पिछड़ों, किसानों, बेरोजगार नौजवानों एवं छोटे-लघु एवं मध्यम श्रेणी के व्यापारियों की घोर उपेक्षात्मक रवैये के कारण उत्तर प्रदेश के योगी मंत्रिमंडल से इस्तीफा देता हूं। pic.twitter.com/ubw4oKMK7t
— Swami Prasad Maurya (@SwamiPMaurya) January 11, 2022
Soon after his resignation, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted, “I welcome Swami Prasad Maurya, who struggled for social justice and equality in the State, to the Samajwadi Party. There will be a revolution for social justice, there will be a change in 2022.”
सामाजिक न्याय और समता-समानता की लड़ाई लड़ने वाले लोकप्रिय नेता श्री स्वामी प्रसाद मौर्या जी एवं उनके साथ आने वाले अन्य सभी नेताओं, कार्यकर्ताओं और समर्थकों का सपा में ससम्मान हार्दिक स्वागत एवं अभिनंदन!
सामाजिक न्याय का इंक़लाब होगा ~ बाइस में बदलाव होगा#बाइसमेंबाइसिकल pic.twitter.com/BPvSK3GEDQ
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 11, 2022
After this, three other BJP MLAs in the state followed suit and quit the party. This includes Tilhar MLA Roshan Lal Verma, Bilhaur MLA Bhagwati Prasad Sagar and Tindwari MLA Brajesh Prajapati. Verma too has decided to join the SP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Before joining the BJP, Maurya was associated with BSP in Uttar Pradesh. The Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases from February 7 to March 7. Counting of votes will take place on March 10.
(With ANI inputs)