Lucknow: In a big jolt to ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, just a month left Assembly post, senior minister and OBC leader of the Swami Prasad Mauray quit the party and joined Samajwadi Party.

Mr. Maurya has posted his resignation letter on Twitter, announcing his quitting of the party. Along with Mr. Maurya few ministers and party MLAs are likely to join the Samajwadi party, sources said.

BJP MLA, Roshan Lal Verma also announced his resignation to the party. Maury likely to take up a few more ministers and MLAs along with him.

“Defending his decision of quitting the saffron party, Mr. Maurya said, despite a divergent ideology, I worked with dedication in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet. But because of the grave oppression of Dalits, OBCs, farmers, unemployed and small farmers, I am resigning”, Swamy stated in his resignation letter to the party primary membership.

Soon after his quitting to the party, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav shared his photograph with Maurya, shared the same in Tweeter, welcoming OBC leader and his supporters to the party.

Another OBC leader of BJP and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya posted an appeal on Twitter, I don’t know why Swamy Prasad Maurya quit but I appeal to him, don’t quit but let us talk. Decision taken in haste can backfire”, he stated.

Mr. Maurya,  a powerful OBC leader, five-time MLA of  Padrauna Assembly constituency for five time. In 2016 he joined BJP after quitting Bahujan Samaj Party, accusing that there was a syndicate in the party which sells tickets for money.

His daughter Sanghamitra is also BJP MP from UP. During his stint in BSP, he was the powerful leader of the party. His quit in BSP made an enormous dent to BSP in the 2017 Assembly elections.

Now bjp has faced a big jolt with losing of Maurya just before the Assembly elections.