Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday claimed that the Samajwadi Party will split and alleged that several of its leaders were ready to join the BJP, prompting a sharp rebuttal from SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, who accused the BJP of engineering defections in the past.
In a post on X, Rajbhar claimed that senior SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav, the paternal uncle of Akhilesh Yadav, had submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, though he did not provide details of the alleged communication.
“The Samajwadi Party will witness a major split. Ram Gopal Yadav has handed over a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” Rajbhar claimed.
Rajbhar, who heads the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an NDA ally in Uttar Pradesh, alleged that investigations into past controversies had put the SP under pressure.
Referring to the mining scam and the Gomti River Front project, Rajbhar said the SP was worried as the “noose was tightening”. He also claimed that the situation was not limited to Maharashtra and West Bengal and that several SP leaders were prepared to switch to the BJP.
Rajbhar’s claims came at a time when the Trinamool Congress is grappling with an unprecedented split, while the Shiv Sena (UBT), another major player in the Opposition camp, is staring at a crisis, with some of its nine Lok Sabha MPs inclined to switch to the ruling Shiv Sena.
Voicing Rajbhar’s sentiments, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya claimed that 25-26 SP MPs were ready to break away and rejected claims that the BJP was involved in the possible split.
“There are 25-26 MPs in the SP ready to break away, but we are not doing so. They will break away on their own in 2027,” Maurya told reporters in Kanpur.
Shivpal Yadav, another uncle of Akhilesh Yadav, hit back at Maurya’s remarks, saying his statements were made to boost the TRP. “How many times has the SP defeated Maurya? He makes such statements to boost his TRP. He will fight again and defeat him again,” he said.
AKHILESH YADAV HITS BACK, RAJBHAR ATTACKS AGAIN
Rajbhar’s remarks drew a swift response from Akhilesh Yadav, who dismissed the claims and accused the BJP of having a history of engineering defections through inducements and pressure.
“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,” Yadav told reporters.
Rejecting suggestions of any split within the SP, Yadav said the party remained united despite facing challenges in the past. “The SP remains united. It weathered many ups and downs in its journey. It is a strong party, and it remains so,” he said.
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also said that while he had never tried to engineer defections from the BJP, the ruling party had consistently attempted to weaken opposition parties.
“I had said earlier that I will not break the BJP. But while the BJP is breaking other parties and poaching MPs, it is their own legislators in Uttar Pradesh who are preparing to switch sides,” he said.
Yadav further said that those seeking to challenge the BJP must have the courage to withstand political pressure. “If the BJP has to be challenged, there should be a team of brave people,” he added.
A defiant Rajbhar refused to budge and doubled down on the corruption allegations against SP during its regime.
“Hey Akhilesh Yadav ji, I’ve just mentioned Ram Gopal Yadav ji’s letter for now. If I write down the names of the sinners involved in the mining scam and Gomti River Front (project), it would cause an earthquake,” he wrote on X.
“The entire Uttar Pradesh knows who is the mastermind behind the red-cap-wearing corrupt folks? Everyone knows who Ram Gopal Yadav is compromising and making deals to save,” he claimed.
– Ends
(with inputs from Simer Chawla and PTI)
Published By:
Prateek Chakraborty
Published On:
Jun 17, 2026 18:04 IST
