NCP chief Sharad Pawar targets BJP over exit of UP ministers, says more will desert saffron party soon

So far, seven leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party, including cabinet minister Swami Prasad Maurya quit the party alleging neglect toward backward classes and Dalits.

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday (January  13) targeted BJP over the mass exodus of some of its key ministers from the party ahead of the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections.

The veteran politician taking a dig at the party said that not one day goes by when a minister doesn’t leave the BJP.

“Not a single day passes when a BJP leader does not leave the party. Take UP, for example, 13 MLAs are leaving BJP to join another party. I have come to know that 4 BJP MLAs are leaving it today itself,” Pawar was quoted as saying by ANI.

The statements came just hours after another BJP leader, Mukesh Verma, MLA from Shikohabad Assembly constituency, resigned from the primary membership of the party alleging 'lack of respect' by the government towards backward classes and Dalits.

Verma is the seventh leader to leave the saffron camp in the last three days.

The string of defection kick-started after backward leader and a minister of Yogi Adityanath-led cabinet Swami Prasad Maurya left the party alleging "gross neglect" by the BJP towards Dalits, backward classes, farmers, unemployed youth and small traders.

Maurya and other leaders have hinted at joining the Akhilesh Yadav led Samajwadi Party ahead of the assembly polls, which comes as a big jolt to the ruling party.

Later in the day, another ex-BJP minister, Dharam Singh Saini, who recently quit the party with others met Akhilesh Yadav and joined the Samajwadi camp.

"I welcome him to the Samajwadi Party," Yadav tweeted

Deputy Chief Minister of UP Keshav Prasad Maurya urged the rebel leaders to reconsider their decision.

Meanwhile, Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh will start from February 10 in seven phases.