New Delhi: Following the resignation of Uttar Pradesh labour minister Swami Prasad Maurya from the Cabinet and the ruling BJP to join the Samajwadi Party, as many as thirteen Members of Legislative Assembly in Uttar Pradesh will be joining Samajwadi Party, stated Nationalist Congress party chief, Sharad Pawar on Tuesday.

Reportedly, after Maurya’s resignation, three other BJP MLAs in Uttar Pradesh quit the party.

“In Uttar Pradesh, we are going to contest elections with Samajwadi Party and other smaller parties,” Sharad Pawar was quoted as saying by ANI news agency.”

He further stated, “The people of Uttar Pradesh are looking for change. We will surely see the change in the state. Communal polarisation is being done in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Assembly elections. The people of UP will give a befitting reply to this.”

Also, Pawar stated that his party is in talks to form an alliance with Congress and TMC for the upcoming Goa Assembly election.

Uttar Pradesh MLAs quit BJP

Uttar Pradesh labour minister Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the Cabinet and BJP and joined Samajwadi Party on Tuesday.

Stating the reason for his resignation in a letter, he wrote that the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government showcased negligence towards Dalits, farmers, small and medium scale businesses, and unemployed youths in Uttar Pradesh.

Following him, three other BJP MLAs including Tilhar MLA Roshan Lal Verma, Bilhaur MLA Bhagwati Prasad Sagar, and Tindwari MLA Brajesh Prajapati quit the ruling party.

Roshan Lal Verma also decided to join Samajwadi Party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

The Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh will be taking place in seven phases starting from February 7 onwards. The counting of votes will happen on March 10.