New Delhi: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that the resignations of cabinet ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government and their joining his party have eased their fight in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state which wants a politics of positivity.

In a major jolt to the Bharatiya Janata Party weeks ahead of the assembly polls, Cabinet Minister Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from his position on Tuesday after which three more MLAs followed suit, and another cabinet minister Dara Singh Chauhan resigned from his position on Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, “The people of UP are tired of negative politics. They have seen the politics of hatred and atrocities. Samajwadi Party is trying to bring together the people for progressive politics. In that course, we’re happy that when the last time Swami Prasad Maurya came together, many people also came along. They have eased the fight of the party in the coming days. Today, Dara Singh Chauhan too is standing with the SP. The whole of Uttar Pradesh wants to do a politics of positivity.”

People of UP are fed up with negative, hatred politics. Our party is moving forward by taking people together. We're happy that when last time Swami Prasad Maurya came together,many people also came along & made the fight for our party easier: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav pic.twitter.com/CF1PSjujB2

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 12, 2022

The SP chief claimed that 80 per cent of the votes in the state are with the alliance of his party and the rest 20 per cent of the voters are upset with the ruling BJP government.

“Today, 80 per cent votes are with the Samajwadi alliance. And rest 20 per cent people are upset with the BJP. If 80 per cent people are with us and 20 per cent are upset with the BJP, then they are sure to lose the elections,” he said.

“We will try to induct the people who want to join us. The list of candidates for the first and second phase of election will be released,” Yadav added.

Meanwhile, Yadav took to Twitter and welcomed Singh into his party and said in Hindi, “Hearty welcome and greetings to Shri Dara Singh Chouhan ji, the relentless fighter of the struggle for ‘social justice’! The SP and its allies will unite and take the movement of equality and equality to the extreme… Eliminate discrimination! This is our collective resolve!”

Earlier in the day, speaking to ANI after his resignation, Dara Singh said, “The Dalits and backward people because of whom the BJP came to power in 2017 were neglected during the tenure of the government. They were not respected and they did not get any justice. I, therefore, resigned from the government.”

Talking about the future course of action, he said that he would consult the people of his community and then decide which party to go with.

Elections for the 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly will be held in seven phases. The polling will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7 in seven phases.

The polling in Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Goa will be held on February 14 and in Manipur in two phases on February 27 and March 6. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.