Dara Singh Chauhan, a former minister in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, on Sunday joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in the presence of its national president Akhilesh Yadav.
He is the third minister after Swami Prasad Maurya and Dharam Singh Saini to leave the BJP and join the party led by Akhilesh Yadav.
"In 2017, the BJP government gave a slogan of 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'. The party took support from everyone but only few people got benefits of development," Chauhan said after joining Samajwadi Party, reported news agency ANI.
The BJP legislator from the Madhuban constituency in Lucknow further claimed that not only backward class and Dalits are unhappy with the state government, the Brahmins are also not satisfied with the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav welcomed Dara Singh Chauhan and his supporter to party.
"I welcome Dara Singh Chauhan and his supporters who have come along large numbers," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said.
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav urged the leaders to ensure that the BJP candidates forfeit their deposits in their constituencies, reported IANS.
He said, "The BJP has been practicing negative politics, promoting hatred and creating divisions. We will pursue the politics of development."
Akhilesh also slammed 'fake surveys' being published and added that the ground reality was much different to what was being portrayed.
He also announced that when his party comes to power, he will order caste census without delay.
Apna Dal MLA Dr R.K. Varma also joined Samajwadi Party on Sunday.
Earlier on January 14, former Uttar Pradesh Ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Dharam Singh Saini, who resigned this week from the Yogi Adityanath government and the ruling BJP ahead of Assembly polls, have joined the Samajwadi Party.
Along with the former Ministers, the sitting MLAs Bhagwati Sagar, Vinay Shakya, Roshan Lal Verma, Mukesh Verma and Brajesh Kumar Prajapati have also joined SP.
Apna Dal MLA Chaudhary Amar Singh, Former BSP MLA Neeraj Kushawaha Maurya, former BJP MLC Harpal Saini, former BSP MLA Balram Saini, former BJP MLA Rajendra Pratap Singh, former Minister of State Vidrohi Maurya, former Chief Security Officer Padam Singh and former Congress MLA Bansi Singh Pahadiya joined the party.
The spate of resignations began with Swami Prasad Maurya quitting the cabinet. Maurya, a prominent leader from the OBC community, had joined the BJP from BSP. Dara Singh Chauhan had resigned as minister on Wednesday. Dharam Singh Saini became the third minister on Thursday.
Uttar Pradesh assembly elections will be held in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7.
(With inputs from ANI and IANS)
