SBSP to back SP-BSP on 3 LS seats

LUCKNOW: Former BJP ally, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) on Wednesday decided to support SP-BSP candidates in three parliamentary constituencies going to polls in the sixth and seventh phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh.

Though SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar could not be reached for comments, his son Arun Rajbhar, who is party’s national general secretary, confirmed to TOI that it has decided to support SP-BSP gathbandhan candidates in Maharajganj, Bansgaon and Sant Kabir Nagar. While Sant Kabir Nagar goes to poll in sixth phase, polling in Maharajganj and Bansgaon would be held in the last phase.
“BJP is doing away with constitutional provisions, therefore, we decided to support SP-BSP candidates. We would teach BJP a lesson,” Arun told TOI.
In Sant Kabir Nagar, SBSP will support BSP’s Kushal Tewari who is pitted against BJP’s Pravin Nishad, son of NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad who severed his alliance with SP-BSP and tied up with the ruling party.
In Bansgaon, SBSP will support Sadal Prasad of BSP against BJP’s Kamlesh Paswan. In Maharajganj, Rajbhar’s party will back SP candidate Akhilesh Singh against BJP’s Pankaj Choudhary.
SBSP severed its ties with BJP when Rajbhar was told to contest election from Ghosi seat on the saffron party’s symbol. Rajbhar had declared that SBSP would field candidates on 39 Lok Sabha seats and had released a list of its candidates.
“They were not ready to give one seat but were using my photograph in election campaign which was not acceptable,” Rajbhar said. He even complained to the Election Commission accusing BJP of using his photograph in campaign. Rajbhar had been on collision course with BJP since 2018, often accusing it of corruption and failure on law and order front.