UP Minister Dara Singh Chauhan Resigns, Akhilesh Yadav 'Welcomes' OBC Leader

Chauhan, who is the second minister to quit the cabinet and the BJP ahead of the assembly polls next month, joined the Samajwadi Party.

UP Minister Dara Singh Chauhan resigns. (Image: Twitter/DaraSingh)

New Delhi: In what comes in as a major setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the high voltage assembly elections, Uttar Pradesh minister Dara Singh Chauhan on Wednesday resigned from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Cabinet.

“I worked diligently for the betterment of my department while serving as the Minister of Forest, Environment and Zoological Garden in honourable Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s Cabinet,  but I am resigning from the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet as I am hurt by this government's oppressive attitude towards the backward, deprived sections, Dalits, farmers and unemployed youth and the neglect of quota for the backward and Dalits,” he wrote in his resignation letter to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, ANI reported.

Chauhan, who is the second minister to quit the cabinet and the BJP ahead of the assembly polls next month, joined the Samajwadi Party.

“Hearty welcome and greetings in the SP to Shri Dara Singh Chouhan ji, the relentless fighter of the struggle for 'social justice'! The SP and its allies will unite and take the movement of equality and equality to the extreme… Eliminate discrimination! This is our collective resolve! Respect everyone~ space for everyone!” Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted.

Earlier on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Labour Minister Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the cabinet and the BJP.

Four other MLAs have also quit the BJP, which is eyeing a second term in power in Uttar Pradesh.

Congress MLA Naresh Saini, Samajwadi Party’s Hari Om Yadav Join BJP

Meanwhile, Congress MLA Naresh Saini and Samajwadi Party legislator Hari Om Yadav joined the BJP on Wednesday.

The two MLAs, who hail from backward castes, joined the BJP in the presence of Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, and Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh.

The BJP’s decision to induct the two MLAs into its fold appears to be aimed at refuting suggestions that it is confronting challenges in maintaining its strength among the OBCs, a group in which Swami Prasad Maurya is seen as an influential leader in parts of the state, PTI reported.

Former Samajwadi Party MLA Dharmpal Singh also joined the BJP.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The counting of votes will be held on March 10.