BJP loses third minister, Dharam Singh Saini resigns from Yogi cabinet

New Delhi, Jan 13: Dharam Singh Saini on Thursday resigned from the BJP, becoming the third Uttar Pradesh minister and the ninth MLA to quit the saffron party, ahead of crucial state assembly polls.

Saini, the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ayush, Food Security and Drug Administration. had joined the saffron party from BSP in 2016 along with Swami Prasad Maurya.

"I have resigned because for 5 years Dalits, backward classes were suppressed, their voices were suppressed... We will do whatever Swami Prasad Maurya will say. One minister and 3-4 MLAs will resign every day till Jan 20," Saini said.

Maurya, an influential OBC leader, had resigned from the Yogi Adityanath cabinet on Tuesday.

Informing about his decision, Maurya said in a tweet in Hindi, "Due to the attitude of gross neglect towards Dalits, backwards, farmers, unemployed youth and small and medium-sized traders, I am resigning from the council of ministers of Yogi (Adityanath) of UP." Yadav shared a photo of him with Maurya on Twitter, and welcomed him into the SP fold.

In his resignation letter addressed to Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Maurya said, "I discharged my responsibilities as the minister for labour, employment, coordination in the council of ministers headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, despite adverse ('vipreet') circumstances and ideology."

The Uttar Pradesh polls will be held in seven phases - on February 10 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. The results will be declared on March 10 along with the four other poll-bound states of Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur.