PRAYAGRAJ, June 21 -- Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) does not need leaders from the Samajwadi Party (SP) to contest elections, asserting that the party has enough capable workers to fight on its own strength. Speaking to reporters during his two-day visit to Prayagraj, Maurya dismissed claims by Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and cabinet minister Om Prakash Rajbhar that several SP MLAs and MPs were in touch with him. "There is no substance in such claims. The BJP does not need SP leaders to fight elections," Maurya said. Reacting to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's remarks about BJP legislators switching sides, Maurya said Yadav should "wait for the right time." On allegations of financial irregularities in the Ayodhya Ram Temple project, Maurya said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was examining the matter and action would be taken after its report is submitted. Expressing confidence ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Maurya claimed the BJP-led NDA would secure a decisive victory. "The BJP will secure 80 out of every 100 seats, while the remaining seats will be shared by other parties," he said. On NEET-UG 2026, scheduled for Sunday, Maurya said the government was committed to conducting examinations in a transparent and fair manner. "Wherever irregularities have surfaced in the past, corrective measures have been taken to make the examination system more robust and foolproof," he said. Maurya, who is in Prayagraj for International Yoga Day celebrations, credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for yoga's growing acceptance across the world. Earlier, while interacting with BJP workers at the Circuit House, Maurya said the SP was heading towards a major defeat in the 2027 Assembly elections and urged party workers to ensure victory in all 12 Assembly constituencies of Prayagraj district. He also claimed the BJP would win all 19 seats in the Bundelkhand region and said opposition parties would struggle electorally in view of development works carried out under the double-engine government. Later, Maurya attended a programme where the 23rd instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme was released online by Prime Minister Modi and honoured 15 progressive farmers with certificates. He directed officials to identify all eligible farmers yet to receive benefits under the scheme and ensure their inclusion....