The sulking ally of the ruling BJP, Suhel Deo Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief and cabinet minister, Om Prakash Rajbhar relented after meeting BJP president Amit Shah in Delhi on Tuesday. He also announced to vote for BJP candidates for the impending Rajya Sabha elections.

“Four MLAs of SBSP will vote for BJP candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections on March 23. I have no grievances and I am satisfied after meeting the BJP president. I have no personal ambitions and I discussed issues pertaining to welfare of Most Backward Castes (MBC) among Other Backward Castes (OBCs) with Shah,’’ said Rajbhar over phone from Delhi.

“I placed my grievances before the BJP president and apprised him in chronological order as to how the state BJP leaders were ignoring its allies especially SBSP leaders. We were not consulted for Urban Local Bodies poll and then for the two Lok Sabha by-elections and till March 19, none from the BJP told us whether they needed our votes for Rajya Sabha elections. Shah admitted the flaw of state BJP leaders and assured me of monitoring the affairs of UP. Shah will be coming to Lucknow on April 10 and meet with leaders of the BJP and its allies,’’Rajbhar said.

“Reports circulating in political circles that I asked for some important portfolio and induction of an additional minister from my party in the cabinet are baseless rumors,’’ claimed the SBSP chief.

Rajbhar asserted, “I also asked for implementation of Social Justice Committee report constituted during Rajnath Singh’s regime in 2001. The report was implemented which provided for separate quota within 27 percent quota for the OBCs. The new reservation formula for OBCs was revoked by the succeeding regime headed by Mayawati in 2002.’’

``After giving a patient hearing, Shah assured me that the BJP will look into the matter of Social Justice Committee report after the Assembly elections in Karnataka,’’said Rajbhar.