LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday reiterated his claim that the Samajwadi Party (SP) was headed for a split. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, however, hit back, saying his party was ready to take on the BJP.
In a post on X, Rajbhar hinted that a senior leader could lead a rebellion within the SP. He has made similar claims three times in the past 24 hours but has not provided evidence to substantiate them.
Backing Rajbhar's assertion, another Uttar Pradesh minister, Sanjay Kumar Nishad, claimed that several SP and Congress MPs in the state were in touch with the ruling alliance and were seeking political opportunities.
"All SP and Congress MPs in Uttar Pradesh who follow a Hindu ideology keep meeting us for opportunities and to establish contact with the leadership in Delhi. Their number is no less than two dozen," Nishad said.
In his post, Rajbhar wrote that a leader from Uttar Pradesh's "rebel land" (read Ballia) would lead a group of dissident SP MPs.
Without naming Ballia SP MP Sanatan Pandey, Rajbhar claimed the leader was upset after Brahmins were allegedly insulted during a conference held at the SP office recently.
Rajbhar said plans for a rebellion had existed earlier, but the recent incident had intensified the discontent. He claimed a split in the SP was now certain and advised Akhilesh Yadav to focus on saving his MPs instead of engaging in politics through social media, air-conditioned rooms and press conferences. He also suggested that Akhilesh meet dissatisfied MPs and apologise to them.
On Wednesday, Rajbhar had twice claimed that a split in the SP was likely on the lines of the political developments in Maharashtra. He also alleged that SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav had submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding some MPs.
Responding to Rajbhar's remarks on Thursday and referring to the split in Uddhav Thackeray's party in Maharashtra, Akhilesh said that was how the BJP operated.
“It has already broken several political parties. In Uttar Pradesh too, it poached many SP MLAs, MLCs and Rajya Sabha members. There must have been some self-interest, greed or fear behind those who left the party. Anyone who gets scared or intimidated can leave. But if the BJP has to be challenged, the team must be made up of brave people,” he said.
It may be recalled that at least seven SP MLAs had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections held in February 2024, helping the BJP win eight of the 10 seats and resulting in the defeat of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan, who was contesting as an SP candidate.
Although the BJP distanced itself from Rajbhar's claims, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya made a similar assertion in Kanpur on Wednesday. He said the SP could face a major setback in the future and that 25 to 26 of its MPs were in a position to leave the party. However, he added that the BJP was not involved in any politics of defections.