SBSP to decide on Tuesday alliance with SP for UP bypolls

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) on Monday said that it will hold a meeting in Lucknow on Tuesday to decide on alliance with the Samajwadi Party for the upcoming bypolls in Uttar Pradesh.

In a statement issued here, the former ally of the BJP said the monthly meeting of the SBSP would be held at here on Tuesday during which the new UP party chief will be elected.

SBSP national general secretary Arvind Rajbhar said, "In the meeting a decision to forge ties with the SP for the upcoming bypolls in the state will be taken."

Arvind Rajbhar said at a recent meeting discussions were held regarding the bypolls between SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar.

 

Om Prakash Rajbhar had met Yadav here on Friday.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, while addressing a meeting in Ghosi in Mau district, Om Prakash fired a fresh salvo at the BJP following which District magistrate of Mau Gyan Prakash Tripathi directed SDM Ghosi to probe the speech.

"The BJP has given me immense pain. I get angry on seeing them, and feel that like Maharaj Suheldev, I should pick up a sword and behead any BJP leader whom I can see," he said.

Om Prakash was removed from the UP Cabinet by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a day after the Lok Sabha polls concluded, for making embarrassing statements against the BJP.

During the Lok Sabha campaign, Rajbhar had said BJP members should be "thrashed" with shoes.

As his outburst against the BJP grew louder, Adityanath sacked him from his cabinet on May 20.

Recalcitrant Om Prakash Rajbhar had soon afterwards welcomed the decision by the chief minister.

"I welcome the decision (to sack me). The decision taken by the chief minister was a delayed one," he had said.

Adityanath had also recommended to the governor that all other SBSP members holding the rank of the minister of state be removed immediately.

Rajbhars account for around four per cent of the total electorate in the state.

The community has a sizable strength in Azamgarh, Mau, Ghosi, Ballia, Salempur, Jaunpur, Lalganj Ghazipur and Deoria. Rajbhars constitute 20 per cent of the Purvanchal population and are regarded as the second most politically dominant community after the Yadavs in eastern UP.