‘An appropriate decision at an appropriate time’

NEW DELHI: Former BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya joined the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Monday, giving another boost to its electoral plan for Uttar Pradesh that

NEW DELHI: Former BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya joined the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Monday, giving another boost to its electoral plan for Uttar Pradesh that goes to poll next year.

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A prominent leader of his community, Maurya quit the BSP on June 22, accusing chief Mayawati of auctioning poll tickets. A four term MLA, he was the leader of the opposition in the current assembly.

“I have taken an appropriate decision at an appropriate time,” Maurya told reporters at BJP headquarters. He blamed Mayawati of turningthe BSP into an industrial house and said his decision to join the BJP was inspired with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work to empower the weaker sections.

Mauryas and other allied castes – traditionally involved in the business of growing vegetables – account for nearly 4 % of Uttar Pradesh’s population and the BJP is eyeing their support.

Mayawati, he said, had been marginalising the backward castes and was likely to give them only 26-27 seats in the 403seat UP assembly elections. In the Lok Sabha polls, BJP gave members of the community 29 seats, all of whom won, while BSP only gave them 16, he said.

“There are also many MLAs who will join the party,” he said and named some former MLAs who joined the BJP along with him. BJP chief Amit Shah was also present at the event.