Is Samajwadi Party headed for split? OP Rajbhar claims TMC-style defections in UP soon

Lucknow, June 17 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar dropped a political bombshell on Wednesday as he claimed that Uttar Pradesh could soon see similar political upheaval on the lines of West Bengal and Maharashtra, as the Samajwadi Party (SP) will see a “split within” soon, with many MPs defecting to the ruling BJP.

Speaking to IANS, he said that many leaders of the key Opposition party are waiting in the wings to cross over and referred to a letter from senior party MP Ram Gopal Yadav to Home Minister Amit Shah as the ‘confirmation’ of a likely switchover in days to come.

UP cabinet minister OP Rajbhar said, “You have seen what happened in West Bengal and Maharashtra, and now it is Uttar Pradesh’s turn. Didn’t you see Ram Gopal Yadav ji carrying a letter and quietly handing it over to Home Minister Amit Shah? The message was that many people from their party could join you, so please save us, but take some of them along.”

According to Rajbhar, the letter by Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle and political mentor contains a list of MPs willing to switch loyalties. When questioned about the authenticity of his claims, he said that if the letter didn’t contain names of MPs, then why did Ram Gopal Yadav not make it public?

“You have already seen what happened in the TMC, and now people are talking about Maharashtra. Next comes Uttar Pradesh. Ram Gopal ji gave a letter and a list to HM Amit Shah, asking that certain people be protected,” he stated.

He further said, “We are saying that Ram Gopal should make that list public and explain what letter he handed over and for what purpose. Otherwise, it appears that the letter mentioned certain MPs and leaders who could be called over and would join the BJP.”

Earlier in the day, sharing an insight into a likely switchover, Rajbhar said that the mining scam and Gomti river front scam could be the “trigger” behind such a move.

“Everyone in Uttar Pradesh knows who the mastermind behind the mining scam and Gomti River Front scam is. As the noose tightens, the SP is getting anxious,” he said in a cryptic post on X.

The SBSP chief, later, speaking to multiple news channels, said that the TMC and Shiv Sena (UBT) style split was very much in the offing in Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party.

The UP minister also took potshots at Akhilesh Yadav over the party’s outreach attempt to Brahmins and said that the community won’t forgive the SP supremo and his party over his MP going on an abusive rant with impunity, comparing them with prostitutes.

–IANS

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