SP Chief Targets BJP in Fazilnagar Rally

Mr. Yadav praised Ex-BJPian Maurya, joined SP.

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh is set to commence its fifth phase of Assembly election polls, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav is back at rallies taunting the ruling BJP and shoring up support for fellow candidates.

While addressing a massive gathering in the Fazilnagar constituency, he praised former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya and claimed he has been waiting "since 2011" for the OBC leader to join his party, news agency ANI said.

Taking notes from Mr. Maurya's political background, he is one of several high profile candidates who recently switched over from the BJP to SP.

BJP faced a shock after he departed from the ruling party. They had caused quite a stir as it came amid the peak of election campaigning when many leaders with relatively less political significance were switching sides. While leaving the party, he accused the BJP of neglecting Dalits and backward classes.

While targeting the ruling party, SP Chief Yadav said, "They're perturbed. They can't seem to remember the day when Swami Prasad Maurya joined us."

Akhilesh also added that the state wouldn't have had to see "bad days" for five years had the former minister joined his party after leaving the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samajwadi Party.

Mr. Maurya had a long stint with the BSP before joining the BJP. In June 2016, he resigned from all posts of the BSP alleging that a "money for ticket" syndicate was being run by the party. BSP chief Mayawati had denied the allegations then and accused Mr Maurya of promoting dynastic politics within her party.

"Had he joined us in 2017, UP would've been forward today," Akhilesh Yadav said about Mr. Maurya.

"Earlier when we used to sit across from each other in Vidhan Sabha, he used to speak from Opposition. We had to answer and we used to reply in the House. Earlier we sat across from each other, now we'll sit close to each other and run the government," Mr Yadav added.

Mr. Maurya is a five-term MLA, a former minister and has also served as leader of the house and leader of opposition in the state assembly. He was serving as Cabinet Minister for Labour, Employment and Co-ordination in Yogi Adityanath's ministry.