In a brief letter to SP President Akhilesh Yadav, Maurya said that since there had been no talks following his letter of February 13 in which he had stepped down from the post of party general secretary, he thought it fit to quit the party.

Immediately after, he also resigned from the membership of the UP Vidhan Parishad.

“Since I had been elected to the Vidhan Parishad as SP member and I have now resigned from the SP, it is morally correct for me to resign from the membership of the Parishad too,” he wrote in his resignation letter.

Talking to reporters later, Maurya said that Akhilesh Yadav had not even telephoned him after he resigned from the party post.

“I have resigned due to ideological differences and not any personal issues. Akhilesh had strayed from the path that was pursued by his father, late Mulayam Singh Yadav. Whenever he gets back on the right track, I will welcome him,” he said.

Asked about his future plans, he said that he would continue his fight for the weaker sections.