Rajbhar gets ‘Y’ category security amid growing proximity to BJP

The development comes days after Rajbhar’s party, an estranged ally of the Samajwadi Party (SP), voted for NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, who defeated opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha

The Uttar Pradesh government has provided ‘Y’ category security to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, a move which is being seen in the context of the SP ally’s growing proximity to the ruling party-- BJP.

The Uttar Pradesh government has provided ‘Y’ category security to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar. (HT FILE PHOTO.)

The development comes days after Rajbhar’s party, an estranged ally of the Samajwadi Party (SP), voted for NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, who defeated opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha. Rajbhar is a second-time MLA from the Zahoorabad seat of Ghazipur.

According to a senior official, the UP government had recently sought a report regarding Rajbhar’s security, after which a committee reviewed his security and sent a report to the government. Thereafter, the state government gave instructions to provide ‘Y’ category security to the MLA.

SP (Ghazipur) Rohan P Botre said: “SBSP chief OP Rajbhar has been provided ‘Y’ category security on the instructions of the state government three days ago.”

Rajbhar, who was a minister in Yogi Adityanath’s previous government-1, was sacked from the cabinet in May 2019 for hitting out at the state government time and again. Thereafter, he parted ways and forged an alliance with smaller political parties. Later, he formed an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

Rajbhar, who had been critical of Yadav in the recent past, used to meet senior leaders of the BJP despite being in an alliance with the SP, said people aware of the matter.