Caste Politics On A Play Out Within BJP In UP? Another OBC Minister Quits In Protest Citing ‘Oppressive Attitude’

Anand Singh

| Updated: 12 January, 2022 5:40 pm IST

LUCKNOW: A day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Minister Swami Prasad Maurya and several other MLAs resigned from the party in Uttar Pradesh, yet another minister Dara Singh Chauhan tendered his resignation.

In his resignation letter to Governor Anandiben Patel, Chauhan wrote, “I worked with dedication but I am resigning as I am hurt by this government’s oppressive attitude towards the backward, deprived sections, Dalits, farmers and unemployed youth and the neglect of quota for the backward and Dalits.”

FLASH: After Tuesday’s setback, another UP cabinet minister @DaraSinghBJP quits BJP ahead of 2022 polls.

Likely to join @samajwadiparty.

Earlier four BJP MLAs including Swami Prasad Maurya had resigned from BJP https://t.co/QJlyhjBdgZ pic.twitter.com/eCdVKKT04W

— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) January 12, 2022

This makes Chauhan another OBC leader to write to the party after Maurya’s resignation on Tuesday.

At a time when BJP seeks re-election in India’s most politically sensitive state, the resignations of two ministers and four MLAs come as a big hit. All the leaders, it is said, are set to join the Samajwadi Party of Akhilesh Yadav.

The elections for the 403 member assembly in Uttar Pradesh will take place in seven phases from February 10 to March 7. Counting of votes will take place on March 10.

The ruling BJP is looking for a second consecutive term in the 403 member assembly while the Samajwadi Party, Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are trying to make a comeback in the politically sensitive state.