A week after he resigned from the post of general secretary of Samajwadi Party (SP), former minister and prominent OBC leader Swami Prasad Maurya quit from the party and MLC post on Tuesday. His resignation comes amid speculations that Maurya will launch his new party Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj this week.
Maurya, who quit BJP to join SP, accused SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of going against socialist ideology. "I believe in clean politics. I had ideological differences with Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party. I saw Akhilesh Yadav, he is going against socialist ideology. I have the experience of working with Mulayam Singh Yadav as well. He was a staunch socialist leader. Those who are carrying forward his legacy are not able to follow his ideology. It is unfortunate," Maurya told ANI.
#WATCH | After resigning from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Swami Prasad Maurya says, "I believe in clean politics...The reason behind parting ways is ideological differences. I have had ideological differences with Akhilesh Yadav and Samajwadi Party (SP)...I saw Akhilesh Yadav, he… https://t.co/S0c1t0h3yL pic.twitter.com/oM2H96b2ER
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2024
He also shared a letter he wrote to Yadav. "I got an opportunity to work with you. But after our talks on February 12 and my resignation (as national general secretary) on February 13, no initiative of any talks with me was taken due to which I am resigning from the primary membership of the party," Maurya said in a letter to party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
In a separate letter to the chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council, Maurya said, "I was elected as a Samajwadi Party member in the legislative council. As I have resigned from the primary membership of the party, I am also resigning as MLC (member of legislative council) on the basis of morality," he said.
He has also reportedly convened a meeting of his supporters in Delhi on Thursday to finalise his next move.
Maurya resigned from the post of SP national secretary on February 13, accusing the leadership of discriminating against him and not defending him over his controversial statements on the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration.
Maurya, who started his political career from Lok Dal, joined BSP and stayed in it for about 20 years. He first became a minister in Mayawati government. He quit BSP to join BJP in 2020 and was a minister in the Yogi Cabinet. In 2022, he left BJP and joined SP headed by Akhilesh Yadav.
