Ex-SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya declares himself as Lok Sabha candidate finding no response from I.N.D.I. Alliance

Former Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya declared his intention to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh’s Kushinagar during an announcement made on Sunday, March 31.

Maurya highlighted his advocacy for the victory of the I.N.D.I. Alliance since the formation of the Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party (RSSP) on February 22, a few days after his departure from the SP.

Despite his efforts to rally support for the I.N.D.I. Alliance and appeals to safeguard the Constitution, democracy, and the nation by ousting the BJP, Maurya expressed disappointment over the lack of response from major I.N.D.I. Alliance parties in Uttar Pradesh, namely the SP and Congress, regarding his candidate list.

“I sent a list of five names and I kept waiting for a decision to be taken on it and that the names decided by these two parties would be announced. But no announcement has been made to date,” Maurya said.

“So, after a long wait, considering the demand of the people of Kushinagar, I declare myself a candidate for Kushinagar Lok Sabha. SN Chauhan will be the candidate for RSSP from Deoria. The remaining names will also be announced soon,” he said.

In light of the prolonged delay and considering the demands of the people of Kushinagar, Maurya made the decision to declare himself as a candidate for the Kushinagar Lok Sabha constituency. He further announced SN Chauhan as the RSSP candidate for Deoria, with plans to unveil additional candidate names in the near future.

Maurya left the decision regarding his affiliation with the opposition bloc within the INDI Alliance to its members. He drew comparisons with figures like Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) chief Pallavi Patel, suggesting that his status be determined either as a constituent or a non-constituent by the alliance.

In related developments, it was reported earlier on the same day that Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) had forged an alliance with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), with an imminent announcement expected regarding the seat-sharing arrangement.