BALIA: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya asserted on Monday that the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party will remain in alliance with the BJP in the state, hours after the SBSP said it will contest this Lok Sabha election "on its own".
"Om Prakash Rajbhar has been with BJP and will remain with it in Lok Sabha elections," Maurya said when asked about the SPSP chief's statement on severing electoral ties with the BJP.
This morning, Rajbhar told reporters at his residence here, "SBSP will contest the Lok Sabha election on its own. It will field candidates on 25 seats in Uttar Pradesh." He said his party will announce its candidates soon.
His decision to contest alone in the Lok Sabha election is precipitated by a disagreement over candidature on a seat, where the BJP has proposed to field an SBSP candidate on its symbol.
Rajbhar did not agree with the proposal during the meeting on April 13. Rajbhar's son and SBSP general secretary Arun Rajbhar said, "The alliance with BJP is for assembly polls and not for Lok Sabha elections." The SBSP had won four seats in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.
Earlier on Monday, addressing a Backward Caste Sammelan of his party in Baansdeeh area in Ballia district, Maurya attacked the Congress, claiming the work that could not be done in 55 years, has been done in the past five years of the BJP rule.
He also attacked the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, alleging governments run and supported by these parties at the Centre had looted funds and they have again come together to breed corruption.
"Can those who buy tickets by giving money work for development," he asked. He also had a dig at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, asking how someone who has no respect for his father and uncle have it for his 'bua'.