Akhilesh Yadav praises ex-BJP minister Maurya who joined SP

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party head Akhilesh Yadav praised the OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya for leaving BJP and joining his party, while assembly elections are at peak in Uttar Pradesh, The Indian Express reported.

Yadav said that BJP is perturbed and can't seem to remember the day when Maurya joined his party. He said that he had been waiting for Maurya to join SP since 2011 and added that had the latter joined SP instead of BJP after he left BSP, UP would not have seen five worst years of governance.

Yadav assured that he and Maurya used to sit opposite in Vidhan Sabha, the latter questioning the former's government from Opposition, but this time both will sit in the House and rule together.

Maurya left Mayawati lead BSP in 2016, alleging that the party was led by a "money for ticket" syndicate. But Mayawati denied Maurya's allegations and alleged that he promoted dynasty politics within BSP.

Maurya left BJP alleging that the party is neglecting Dalits and backward classes. He is a five-time MLA and served as a former minister, leader of the House and leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. He was Cabinet Minister for Labour, Employment and Co-ordination in Yogi Adityanath's ministry before he left the party.

He is contesting in Fazilnagar, instead of Padaruna, where he used to, and is said to be facing a tough challenge. In the constituency, BJP also had fielded an OBC leader, while BSP gave a ticket to Ilias Ansari, who had just left SP and joined BSP. Ansari threatens to split votes here, where Muslims are the majority.

In 2017, Ganga Singh Kushwaha of the BJP defeated Vishwanath Singh of the SP for more than 41,000 votes in Fazilnagar. The seat is heading to the polls on March 3.