Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday rubbished claims of a possible split in his party following bombshell remarks by Uttar Pradesh minister OP Rajbhar.
Hours after Rajbhar's allegation that Samajwadi MP Ram Gopal Yadav had sent a letter to union home minister Amit Shah with names, the SP chief said: “Dana aur gana kab tak chalega yeh afsana (how long will their 'benefits and songs' continue).”
According news agency PTI, Yadav also accused the BJP of breaking several parties, including taking away legislators and leaders from the SP. "If you look at Uttar Pradesh, several SP MLAs, MLCs and even Rajya Sabha members were taken away. There must have been some self-interest, some lure or some fear... People who get scared leave their party," he said.
‘All of SP ready to join BJP’
OP Rajbhar is the chief of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an NDA ally in Uttar Pradesh. He was earlier considered close to Akhilesh Yadav but cut ties with the Samajwadi Party before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In a bombshell claim this morning, Rajbhar said that the entire Samajwadi Party is sitting ready to join the BJP. "Didn't you see that Ram Gopal ji has given a letter to Amit Shah ji and told him that these are the names, call them and take them with you, but keep us safe. Ram Gopal ji should tell what he wrote in his letter," he said.
{{/usCountry}}In a bombshell claim this morning, Rajbhar said that the entire Samajwadi Party is sitting ready to join the BJP. "Didn't you see that Ram Gopal ji has given a letter to Amit Shah ji and told him that these are the names, call them and take them with you, but keep us safe. Ram Gopal ji should tell what he wrote in his letter," he said.
{{/usCountry}}He further linked the issue to past corruption allegations involving SP leaders. "CBI has named Akhilesh ji in a mining-related case. Did anyone go to jail in the Gomti Riverfront case?" Rajbhar added.
However, there is official word from the BJP or any government official on receiving communication from the Samajwadi MP.
According to NDTV, Ram Gopal Yadav, the SP MP Rajbhar alleged had written to Amit Shah listing names of his party leaders, has also rubbished the claims. "You should ask Amit Shah ji whether I have submitted any letter. No one in the country takes Om Prakash Rajbhar seriously. He always speaks in this manner. He himself does not know what he is saying," Ram Gopal Yadav said, according to the publication.
According to news agency ANI, SP MP Rajeev Rai has also dismissed Rajbhar's claims accusing him of making small talk without any purpose.
Buzz around a Samajwadi Party split comes at a time when similar events are at play in Bengal and Maharashtra, where the Opposition parties Trinamool Congress and UBT Sena, respectively, are facing a rift.