Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar on Sunday claimed that Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav will join the ruling BJP before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and added a “Maharashtra-like political situation may emerge in U.P.”, hinting at a mass crossover to the BJP from the SP.
“During his speech in the State Assembly, U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath named Shivpal Singh-ji 27 times, asking him to cross over, adding that he [Shivpal Singh] should take a lesson from me [Rajbhar] or else it would be too late. Mr. Shivpal Yadav looked at me and said ‘I will come’. Believe me, a Maharashtra-like situation will soon emerge in U.P. When it will happen — I cannot reveal the date,” Mr. Rajbhar said while campaigning for the forthcoming Ghosi bypoll.
The SBSP chief added that several SP MLAs and leaders, who were “angry with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav” were likely to change sides soon. “Many of its MLAs are angry with the SP leadership,” he said. Mr. Rajbhar, who leads a Rajbhar sub-regional Other Backward Classes (OBC)-centric party, has continuously targeted his old ally, the SP, with whom he fought the 2022 Assembly polls, alleging that SP president Akhilesh Yadav had ruined the party.
