Samajwadi Party hits back at Keshav Prasad Maurya, O.P. Rajbhar over ‘split’ claims

Lucknow, June 18 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders on Thursday lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar for their claim that the Akhilesh Yadav-led party will “split soon”.

“Keshav Prasad Maurya is not even in a position to ensure his own victory. The Samajwadi Party has defeated him in several elections. Therefore, when he makes such statements, it only reflects that these are the people who spread lies,” SP national General Secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav said.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Maurya said: “25-26 MPs of Samajwadi Party are ready to break away, but we are not breaking them. We know that they will themselves break away…”

Meanwhile, Rajbhar has claimed that the split within the Samajwadi Party is inevitable and will be led by “son of UP’s land of rebels”, apparently referring to SP MP Sanatan Pandey. However, during an interaction with IANS, Pandey has denied the claims.

Hitting back at Rajbhar, SP MP Neeraj Kushwaha Maurya alleged that the former is “worried” about his political future.

“In the coming time, he may face a major defeat in the constituency where he is currently an MLA. That is why he is making such baseless statements. Actually, these people are concerned about their future,” Maurya told IANS.

Echoing a similar view, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma claimed that there is a “strategy” behind the ministers’ remarks.

“The BJP has positioned leaders from the PDA community to counter the PDA narrative. First, Rajbhar, then Maurya, and soon (Sanjay) Nishad may come forward, followed by Anupriya Patel. However, no Thakur, Brahmin, or leader from an upper caste within the BJP will make such statements,” he said.

“In order to break the 37 (SP Lok Sabha) MPs, they will require a two-thirds majority, meaning 25 MPs, that is why the number 25 is being claimed,” Verma said.

SP MP Jitendra Kumar Dohare asserted: “Samajwadi Party is strong, and under Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership, we are going to form the government (in UP) in 2027, that is why these leaders are frustrated.”

RJD MP Manoj Jha also came in support of the Samajwadi Party, saying, “This is not the danger of one particular political party, but rather the Indian voters are in trouble. (Such defections) would mean that parties and their symbols do not matter anymore.”

–IANS

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