The BJP’s ally in Uttar Pradesh, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), on Wednesday announced it would go it alone in the Lok Sabha election.
The SBSP headed by Om Prakash Rajbhar, a Cabinet Minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, also released a list of candidates for 39 Lok Sabha seats.
The party has fielded candidates against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh among others. The list, however, does not include Mr. Rajbhar’s name, indicating that the move could merely be pressure tactics.
Mr. Rajbhar, who has been at loggerheads with the BJP for the past year over his demand for sub-categorisation of the OBC quota, said the BJP was not willing to allot a single seat to his party symbol.
According to the SBSP chief, he had been summoned by Mr. Adityanath and BJP leader J.P Nadda three days ago and asked to contest the Ghosi seat in Purvanchal on a BJP symbol. Mr. Rajbhar insisted that his party, which sought five seats, be allowed to contest on its own symbol, even if it had to trade one seat.
“BJP wants to finish off my party and break my organisation,” he said.
The tension peaked on Sunday as Mr. Rajbhar reached Mr Adityanath’s residence at midnight with his resignation letter but was turned away by staff. Since then, Mr. Rajbhar said, the Chief Minister has not been answering calls.