Swami Prasad Maurya to meet BJP leaders in Delhi

LUCKNOW: Swami Prasad Maurya’s sudden rebellion against Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati created ripples in Uttar Pradesh politics for much of this week, but his next move seems to have hit a road block. His growing list of demands has led to Samajwadi Party wrapping up talks with him for now, and Maurya left for New Delhi on Friday, where the BJP has now opened a second round of talks with him.

Maurya was being wooed ardently by both the BJP and SP, but for now, his growing ambition for a bigger deal seems to have posed a hurdle in his jumping on to the bandwagon of either of the two parties.

Being Mayawati's trusted ally and BSP’s pre-eminent most backward caste face, Maurya, was a prized catch when he announced his rebellion. Maurya had opened back channel talks with the BJP about 3 months back and had a few meetings with senior BJP and RSS leaders.

Party sources said that Maurya was in touch with BJP general secretary Om Mathur through intermediaries. He held a few meetings with senior BJP leaders but had demanded that the party project him as the Chief Ministerial face on joining them, but the idea was firmly rejected by the party.