2 Samajwadi Party Legislators Quit, Akhilesh Yadav Blames BJP

Lucknow: In a massive jolt to Akhilesh Yadav, two lawmakers quit the Samajwadi Party today, alleging suffocation within the party. The lawmakers - Bukkal Nawab and Yashwant Singh - are members of the Upper House of the state Assembly and their resignations come on a day when BJP chief Amit Shah has landed in Lucknow for a three-day visit to interact with party leaders.

Alleging a conspiracy, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav blamed the BJP for the resignations. "BJP is indulging in political corruption from Bihar to UP. People are watching everything," he said.

The BJP has to soon take a decision on five of its ministers in Uttar Pradesh, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who are not members of either of the two Houses. Besides Mr Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, ministers Swatantra Dev Singh and Mohsin Raza have not been elected to either the state assembly or the legislative council. 

Bukkal Nawab was very close to former Samajwadi chief Mulayam Singh Yadav till he decided to side with the then Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in the turf war that played out between the party earlier this year. 

"They shouldn't write Samajwadi Party but rather should say 'Samajwadi Akaahda' since it has now become an arena. It is clear that when he is not with his own father then how can he be with the people," Mr Nawab told news agency ANI after resigning today.

Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, he said, "BJP is doing good work. PM Modi has given a good slogan of 'Sabka sath, sabka vikas'. If they call us, then I might go with BJP. Yogi Adityanath is also doing a good job." He added that many more Samajwadi Party members will resign soon, but did not name them.

Yashwant Singh is a close aide of independent legislator from Kunda, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias 'Raja Bhaiyya'. 

With inputs from Agencies