Was deceived by SP in 2022 assembly polls: SBSP chief

Lucknow, Jul 18 (PTI) SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday hit out at the Samajwadi Party, saying it deceived him over seat sharing in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

The leader who has now switched sides is attending the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting in Delhi.

“In 13 seats, they put up their candidates, including Abbas Ansari, but the symbol was ours. We will discuss this (the Abbas Ansari issue) after the NDA meeting and will act accordingly,” the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief said here.

Abbas Ansari is the son of jailed mafia-politician Mukhtar Ansari.

Taking a jibe at Akhilesh Yadav, Om Prakash Rajbhar said the Samajwadi Party (SP) had got 47 seats in the 2017 assembly polls. In 2022, it (SP-led alliance) got 125 seats, he said and added that Yadav’s party will not win in the next assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

The SBSP has its support base among the OBC Rajbhar caste and holds sway in many assembly and parliamentary seats in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

“Sanjay Nishad ji (of the Nishad Party), Anupriya Patel (the Apna Dal-Soneylal) and Dara Singh Chauhan (of the BJP) will cut some votes, while I will cut the rest of the votes of the SP…,” Om Prakash Rajbhar said.

On speculation seat sharing in future polls in the state as an NDA constituent, he answered in the negative.

The SBSP chief also termed as “rumours” speculation that he wants to fight from Ghazipur in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Om Prakash Rajbhar said during the NDA meeting, parties will be discussing about the development of the country, and the betterment of backwards, Dalits and minorities.

SBSP national chief general secretary Arvind Rajbhar who is accompanying Om Prakash Rajbhar for the NDA meeting, said that in 2017, there was an alliance with the NDA, but it ended due to some issues. This time the alliance has been started by resolving those issues, he said. On the opposition’s meeting in Bengaluru he said it has no meaning.