Reports suggest that few more ministers and MLAs may soon follow Maurya to quit BJP.

NEW DELHI – Days after the election commissioner announced poll dates for assembly election in five states including Uttar Pradesh, a minister in Yogi Adityanath government and three BJP MLAs quit from the party and switched over to Samajwadi Party, headed by Akhilesh Yadav.

Swami Prasad Maurya, a minister who comes from OBC community, in the Yogi cabinet, announced his move on Twitter posting his resignation letter.

Just as he went public about his decision, three more MLAs, Roshan Lal Verma, Brijesh Prajapati and Bhagwati tendered their resignations from the party.

The newsy development is seen as a big jolt to the ruling BJP and CM Adityanath as it comes at a time of raging election campaign with polls just a month away.

There are indications from reports that few more minsters and MLAs may soon follow Maurya to quit BJP.

“Despite a divergent ideology, I worked with dedication in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. But because of the grave oppression of Dalits, OBCs, farmers, unemployed and small businessmen, I am resigning,” Maurya wrote in the resignation letter, reasoning why he quit the party.

“What impact my exit will have on the BJP will be obvious after the 2022 assembly election,” NDTV quoted him telling the media.

Shortly after Maurya announced his resignation, the jubilant Akhilesh Yadav took to Twitter and posted a photo with Maurya as he welcomed him and his supporters in the fold.

 “I warmly welcome Swami Prasad Maurya, a leader who fights for social justice and equality, and all his supporters. There will be a revolution in social justice. Chang is coming in 2022,” Yadav wrote a tweet in Hindi.

Veteran leaders from Congress are also leaving party and switching over to SP. Party’s face in western UP Imran Masood is also set to join Akhilesh Yadav.

Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister and top BJP leader in the state was quick to react to the decision of his colleague and he made an appeal for reconciliation. “I don’t know why Swami Prasad Maurya quit but I appeal to him, don’t quit but let us talk. Decisions taken in haste can backfire.”

The resignations come on a day when Yogi Adityanath was holding a meeting with top brass of the party in Delhi to discuss the election strategy in the state.

Maurya had joined BJP after leaving Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 2016 despite having been an MLA for multiple terms. He is representing Padrauna assembly segment in eastern Uttar Pradesh. His daughter Sanghamitra is currently a parliament member from BJP. She is likely to stay in the party for the time being.

Some reports suggest that Maurya was upset with BJP as his son Utkarash Maurya had not been “suitably adjusted”.

Voting for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly begins on February 10 o be completed in seven phases. The counting will be held on March 10.