BSP leader Maurya quits, Mayawati says he has done the party a huge favour

In a major jolt to BSP, its senior leader Swami Prasad Maurya quit the party on Wednesday, saying he felt “suffocated” and accused its chief Mayawati of “auctioning” tickets for next year’s Assembly polls. In a consecutive press conference, BSP president Mayawati claimed that the party was pleased with his decision. Maurya, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, left BSP amid speculation that he might join the ruling Samajwadi Party and could be made a minister when Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav expands his Council of Ministers on 27 June. “I feel suffocated and cannot continue in the party any more,” he said at a hurriedly-convened press conference. [caption id=“attachment_2849850” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A file photo of Mayawati. PTI[/caption] “Tickets are being openly auctioned by Mayawati on a large scale. She is not making the right choice of candidates. Tickets are not only on sale in the party, they are being auctioned,” he added. In a press conference Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati suggested that the party is happy with the resignation of senior leader Swami Prasad Maurya. She said, “Swami Prasad Maurya has done great favour to BSP by quitting the party.” She claimed that she had warned Maurya multiple times regarding his engagement in the ticket business and that that has led to the downfall of the leader. With inputs from PTI