Top Uttar Pradesh Minister Tells NDTV Why He Quit Just Before Polls

Swami Prasad Maurya, a senior BJP leader who quit as Uttar Pradesh minister today and is set to join the Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav, displayed confidence that for the second time in a row he is joining the winning side just before elections.

Mr Maurya quit Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the BJP in 2016 - before the 2017 Uttar Pradesh election. His switch to the Samajwadi Party comes on the verge of another election.

Why did he switch parties only before polls?

"Before I quit the BSP, it was the no 1 party in UP. Now it is nowhere. When I joined the BJP, it came out of 14 years of 'banwaas (exile)' and formed a majority government," Mr Maurya told NDTV.

"But they (BJP) have worked against the people. I expressed dissent at appropriate platforms but my voice was never heard. The result is I have had to resign."

Mr Maurya had a running feud with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and two months ago, had complained to Union Home Minister Amit Shah about him, say sources. But nothing apparently came of it.

Sources say Amit Shah has asked Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to try and persuade Mr Maurya and his supporters to return.

Keshav Prasad Maurya's first appeal was very public. "I don't know why Swami Prasad Maurya quit but I appeal to him, don't quit but let us talk. Decisions taken in haste can backfire," he said in a tweet that clearly missed its mark.

Swami Prasad Maurya retorted: "Why did Mr Maurya not think of this earlier? Why is he remembering me today? Right now everyone will talk but when a dialogue was needed, they did not have time."

Mr Maurya was central to the BJP's strategy to win over backward castes in order to counter Akhilesh Yadav's party. Now he has left the party along with at least three more MLAs, giving a big boost to the Samajwadi Party. Reports suggest more will follow, which could leave a big dent in the BJP's vote base just before a very crucial election.