Amid claims by Uttar Pradesh Minister OP Rajbhar and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya that he might defect from Samajwadi Party ranks, another minister Sanjay Nishad joined the chorus on Thursday, asserting that over two dozen MPs from the SP and Congress were ready to join his party ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections.
Despite these allegations, the Socialist Party confirmed on Thursday that its house was intact.
The war of words comes at a politically sensitive time, as speculation is increasing regarding early elections for the House of Representatives
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Nishad, Uttar Pradesh Fisheries Minister and Nishad Party president, claimed that MPs with Hindutva ideology are ready to join his party. The Nishad Party is a major ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh.
“…Most of the MPs and MPs are in touch with us, requesting us to somehow take them to Delhi and facilitate the conversation with the central leadership,” he said.
When pressed for a specific figure on the number of opposition MPs looking to cross over, Nishad gave a rough estimate, saying: “I think there are at least two dozen MPs as of today.”
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The commotion in Uttar Pradesh comes in the wake of recent political developments involving the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) which have ignited a fresh debate on the possibility of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) getting close to the two-thirds majority required in Parliament to pass constitutional amendments for delimitation of constituencies and reservation for women.
For his part, Rajbhar on Thursday made fresh allegations about an impending split in SP.
Speaking to reporters in Azamgarh, which is considered a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party, he said: “There is sure to be a major split in the Samajwadi Party, just like what happened with the TMC and Shiv Sena.”
“Everyone has been wondering since yesterday: Is a split in the SP imminent? Well, listen to this! A native of the ‘rebel land’ in Uttar Pradesh will lead the faction of MPs dissident from the SP,” Rajbhar posted on X.
He asked Akhilesh Yadav to “save his MPs”.
On Wednesday, Rajbhar claimed that a large number of SP leaders were ready to switch sides, while Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya supplemented his claim by asserting that 25 to 26 Samajwadi Party MPs are preparing to leave the party before the 2027 Assembly elections.
Making every effort to show unity, Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav termed Rajbhar’s allegations a “BJP conspiracy” aimed at misleading the public and attracting media attention.
Shivpal was echoing party national president Akhilesh Yadav who denied allegations of an impending split on Wednesday itself and is also understood to have spoken to senior leaders.
Speaking to the media in Lucknow on Thursday, Shivpal asserted that no MP would defect from the party.
“BJP members are lying. They also continue to conspire from time to time. No MP will break away from the Samajwadi Party,” he said.
The SP won 37 Lok Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 general elections.
“All MPs and MLAs stand firmly with the party and we will form a strong government led by Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh in 2027,” Shivpal added.
Speaking to the media at the SP headquarters in Lucknow on Wednesday, Akhilesh Yadav said: “The SP remains united. It has survived many ups and downs in its journey. It is a strong party, and it will remain strong. Our people are brave.”
Responding to the BJP’s claims of an “imminent split” in the Samajwadi Party, Anil Yadav, general secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (organisation), said, “The BJP has always engaged in the politics of rumours. I don’t think a split in the Samajwadi Party is possible.”
