Ahead of the 2022 elections, Dara Singh Chauhan, UP minister, resigns from Yogi's cabinet

A day after Uttar Pradesh minister SP Maurya quit to join the Samajwadi Party (SP), Dara Singh Chauhan, a serving state minister, too resigned from Yogi Adityanath's cabinet, in a significant step ahead of the upcoming UP assembly elections.

Chauhan stated in his resignation letter that he was leaving the ministry due to the government's "neglectful attitude" toward the backward classes, disadvantaged, Dalits, farmers, and unemployed young.

“As minister of forest and environment in the Yogi Adityanath ministry, I have wholeheartedly worked throughout my tenure for the betterment of this department,” wrote Dara Singh Chauhan in his resignation letter, accessed by the ANI news agency on Wednesday. “However, I am hurt by the government's neglectful attitude towards the backward classes, the underprivileged, the Dalits, the farmers, and the unemployed youth. At the same time, the matter of reservation of the Dalits and the backward classes is being toyed with; in view of this, I resign from the Uttar Pradesh ministry.”

Dara Singh Chauhan's resignation from Yogi Adityanath's government could hurt the BJP's election hopes ahead of the forthcoming assembly elections, especially given the latest incident comes just a day after state minister Swami Prasad Maurya similarly resigned from Yogi's cabinet.

Maurya, too, told reporters after resigning that he left the Yogi cabinet because of the government's "attitude" against Dalits, backward castes, farmers, youth, and traders. He also stated that on January 14, he will join the Samajwadi Party.

“The BJP formed the government with the support of Dalits and backward communities, but did not serve them well, which is why I resigned,” says Dara Singh Chauhan.

In particular, Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, welcomed Dara Singh Chauhan to the party in a tweet.

“The next step would be to hold discussions with my society people and then take a call for future course of action,” Chauhan says.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh assembly will be elected in seven stages.

The polling will take place in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, and March 3 and 7.

The results of the election will be announced on March 10.