Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP names Ghosi candidate as ally SBSP sticks to its guns

Immediately after the BJP decision, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is also a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, said the party’s decision would mean it’s “advantage alliance” in Ghosi where Atul Rai of the Bahujan Samaj Party is the alliance candidate.

After waiting for its OBC ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) to accept its offer of contesting the Lok Sabha poll on its symbol from Ghosi Lok Sabha seat in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party announced the candidature of its sitting MP Harinarayan Rajbhar on the seat on Sunday.

The BJP has named its candidate for the Ghosi Lok Sabha seat in UP after waiting for its ally SBSP to accept its offer of contesting the Lok Sabha poll on its symbol from this constituency. (AFP)

Immediately after the BJP decision, SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is also a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, said the party’s decision would mean it’s “advantage alliance” in Ghosi where Atul Rai of the Bahujan Samaj Party is the alliance candidate.

Om Prakash Rajbhar will campaign in Chandauli on Monday from where the BJP has fielded its state chief Mahendra Nath Pandey.

Om Prakash Rajbhar’s status in the Yogi Adityanath government, however, remains unclear with both BJP and Rajbhar saying they would not terminate the state level relationship between the two parties on their own.

“Let them take a call,” said the leaders of the two parties in identical responses.

Its chief Om Prakash Rajbhar was made a minister in the UP government though he continued to target the state BJP leadership, accusing it of neglecting the OBC ally.

Asked if he would campaign against the BJP in key seats like Varanasi, Jaunpur, Chandauli, Gorakhpur and Lucknow where he has put up candidates, Rajbhar said, “I will campaign for my party, but also tell my voters under what circumstances we didn’t accept the BJP offer of contesting the Lok Sabha polls on their symbol.”

Rajbhar said, “I will tell voters that had we accepted the BJP condition, my party would have been finished.”

Just before the model code of conduct had come into play in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had sought to placate its ally by announcing several key posts to the SBSP in March.

While Om Prakash Rajbhar’s son Arvind was made chairperson of the UP Small Industries Corporation Limited, SBSP general secretary Rana Ajit Pratap Singh was appointed chairperson of another corporation. Six other Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party members were appointed members to various boards and corporations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party had given two seats to its other OBC ally Apna Dal while naming Sangam Lal Gupta, the Apna Dal lawmaker from Pratapgarh assembly seat, as its Lok Sabha candidate from Pratapgarh on its symbol.