After Swami Prasad Maurya's resignation, more BJP MLAs to join SP

BJP MLA from Bilhaur, Kanpur, Bhagwati Sagar and Brijesh Prajapati, BJP MLA from Banda's Tindwari, and BJP MLA Roshan Lal Varma from Shahjahanpur seat have resigned from the party.

All three MLAs are likely to join the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2022 UP Assembly elections.

The move comes after Swami Prasad Maurya, labour Minister in Yogi Adityanath government resigned from the BJP and joined the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party in presence of the party chief.

Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from office on Tuesday. In his resignation letter, he said that he was upset at the side lining of Dalits and weaker sections of society.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA from Bilsi (Badaun) RK Sharma joined the Samajwadi Party on Monday.

In another big development, senior Congress leader Imran Masood quit the party and said he will hold a meeting with his supporters about joining SP and seek an appointment to meet Akhilesh Yadav.

Both Bilsi and Saharanpur will go to the polls in the second phase on February 14.

The Election Commission of Indi (ECI) on Saturday announced the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Punjab, Manipur, and Uttarakhand.

Legislative Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Uttar Pradesh from 10 February to 7 March 2022 in seven phases to elect all 403 members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.