UP Assembly Elections 2022: BJP loses third minister as Dharam Singh Saini resigns, joins Samajwadi Party

New Delhi: In the latest blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, minister and OBC leader Dharam Singh Saini on Thursday (January 13, 2022) resigned from the state cabinet.

UP minister Dharam Singh Saini resigned from the BJP today, becoming the eighth MLA to break off ties with the saffron party in the last three days.

UP Minister Dharam Singh Saini resigns pic.twitter.com/Ey7fxThUtN — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 13, 2022

Minutes after the resignation, Dharam Singh Saini was welcomed in Samajwadi Party (SP) by party chief Akhilesh Yadav. “With the arrival of Dr. Dharam Singh Saini ji, another warrior of 'Social Justice', our 'positive and progressive politics' has got more enthusiasm and strength. Hearty welcome and greetings to him in SP! In the twenty-two, the victory of inclusive-harmony is certain!,” tweeted Akhilesh Yadav in Hindi.

#मेला_होबे pic.twitter.com/2FDkLLNW93 — Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) January 13, 2022

Dharam Singh Saini is the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ayush, Food Security and Drug Administration(MOS). He is a close aide of another Uttar Pradesh minister, SP Maurya, who recently resigned from the cabinet and the BJP.

Meanwhile, the BJP's Central Election Committee met on Thursday to finalise the party's candidates for the seats which will go to the polls in the initial phases of the Uttar Pradesh elections starting from February 10.

BJP president J P Nadda and Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, all three of whom have contracted coronavirus, joined the meeting via video conferencing, while Home Minister Amit Shah and several other leaders besides those from Uttar Pradesh, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, met physically.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also scheduled to join the meeting virtually.