Akhilesh Yadav (right) sacked uncle Shivpal Yadav and three others from the UP cabinet.
As fissures in Samajwadi Party deepened, BJP today demanded that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav prove his majority in the Assembly or resign, labelling the party as "a sinking ship" which has failed on every front.
"CM Akhilesh Yadav should resign or prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly," UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya told reporters in Lucknow hours after Akhilesh sacked four pro-Amar Singh ministers, including his uncle Shivpal Yadav, from his government.
Seeking to fish in troubled waters, Mr Maurya said Governor Ram Naik should ask Akhilesh to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly and till he did so, he should not take any policy decision.
"A government reduced to minority should not take any policy decision," he said.
In New Delhi, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the fast-paced developments within the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party has "exposed" Akhilesh as he exuded confidence that the people of the poll-bound state will now evince faith in the NDA major as "change is inevitable" there.
"The ongoing theatrics within SP is an exercise of shrouding their sins. The party has become a sinking ship which has failed on every front. Mafia raj prevailed during Akhilesh's tenure. He could not keep promises of providing roads, electricity, drinking water. Even healthcare is in doldrums," Mr Sharma said.
He said that the people elected Akhilesh with a "lot of hopes" after witnessing "rampant" corruption and lawlessness during the previous BSP regime.
"But now he stands exposed, impelling them to engage in such theatrics. However, change is inevitable in Uttar Pradesh. The people of the state are set to evince trust in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah in the forthcoming polls," Mr Sharma said.
Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who recently joined BJP after quitting Congress, said the Samajwadi Party was on the verge of a split as in the coming days the differences would widen and there would be no bridging among leaders of the ruling party.
The crisis within SP deepened after Akhilesh sacked Shivpal Yadav, Narad Rai and Om Prakash Singh (Cabinet ministers) and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Sayeda Shadab Fatima.