Akhilesh Yadav's SP Suffers Major Setback As Swami Prasad Maurya Quits Party Ahead Of Lok Sabha Polls

Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya has resigned from the primary membership of the party and his legislative council seat.

Swami Prasad Maurya has resigned from the primary membership of the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The blow to Akhilesh Yadav comes amid the news of alliance talks breaking down with the Congress in Uttar Pradesh.

Apart from the primary membership of the SP, former cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya also resigned from his Legislative Council seat. While resigning from SP, Maurya wrote to Akhilesh saying: "I got an opportunity to work in a cordial environment under your leadership. But as a result of not taking any initiative on the talks held on February 12 and the letter sent on February 13, I am resigning as a primary member of the Samajwadi Party."

While resigning from the MLC post, Maurya wrote: "Since I have resigned from the primary membership of the Samajwadi Party, I am also resigning from the membership of the Legislative Council, Uttar Pradesh. Kindly accept my resignation."

According to sources, he could announce a new party on February 22. However, Maurya is yet to confirm the speculation. He had recently resigned from the post of the National General Secretary of SP.

Swami Prasad Maurya — Minister In Mayawati, Yogi Cabinets

Before joining the SP, he was with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Swami Prasad Maurya has a good hold on the OBC community. Before joining the BJP, he was in the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). Swami Prasad Maurya left BSP and joined BJP before the 2017 UP Assembly elections. However, after just 5 years, he became "disillusioned" with the BJP and joined the SP. 
 
Swami Prasad Maurya, born on January 2, 1954, in Chakwad village (Kunda) of Pratapgarh district, started his political career in Unchahar, Raebaraeli. Swami Prasad Maurya entered active politics in 1980. He became a member of the State Working Committee of Allahabad Yuva Lok Dal and held the post of the General Secretary from June 1981 to 1989.

He remained in Janata Dal between 1991 and 1995. After this, in 1996 he joined BSP and became MLA. After this, he won the election again from this seat in 2002. He also became a minister in the Mayawati government but resigned after differences with the party.

He joined the BJP after that and was elevated to the post of a Cabinet minister under CM Yogi  Adityanath. But he resigned and joined the SP in January 2022 right before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.