Lucknow, Oct 3 — Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) National President, Om Prakash Rajbhar, responding to speculation over the possibility of party MLAs Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai cross-voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, said that both legislators have remained associated with the Samajwadi Party since winning the Assembly elections.
He alleged that SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had betrayed him by fielding his own candidates despite an arrangement that had been reached between the parties.
Speaking to IANS, Rajbhar said, "They (Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan) have been with the Samajwadi Party since they won. They were with the SP when they contested the elections. They only contested using our symbol."
"Akhilesh Yadav has betrayed us. He gave us 16 seats in name, but fielded 12 of his own candidates. These are his own people. They have been carrying the Samajwadi Party flag since the elections."
The remarks come amid heightened political activity in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, with the possible voting preferences of SBSP legislators being closely watched.
The SP and BJP-led alliance have the numbers to secure seats, while the contest for the remaining seat could depend on additional support and cross-voting.
On the recent changes announced in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, Rajbhar said that expanding the organisational structure was a normal political exercise undertaken by parties to strengthen their ability to secure votes.
The Congress on October 2 announced changes in its Uttar Pradesh unit, appointing Aradhana Misra 'Mona' as the state Congress president and naming Imran Masood as the working president.
Speaking about Imran Masood, Rajbhar said, "He's not the boss; Sonia Gandhi is the boss. We'll tell him to tell his party leader to declare a Muslim as the Chief Ministerial candidate in UP. We'll say that Muslims voted for Congress for a long time, so he should also declare a Muslim as the Chief Minister."