OP Rajbhar's SBSP announces end of alliance with Samajwadi Party

NEW DELHI: The OP Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) on Saturday announced that it is ending its alliance with Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party (SP).
The announcement came hours after the SP issued letters to Rajbhar and Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav stating that they are "free to go anywhere they feel they are getting more respect".
Talaq kabool hai: Rajbhar
In prompt response to the letter, Rajbhar declared: “Akhilesh gave us Talaq, we accept the talaq. Talaq kabool hai.” He also accused Akhilesh of betraying the cause of backward communities. “We will continue to fight the fight of the most backward, Akhilesh doesn't want to fight that fight".
“I had asked him to field the most backwards classes in the 2022 UP assembly polls. He did not listen to me. In Azamgarh Lok Sabha by polls also I had asked him to give ticket to most backwards when your Yadav, Muslim formula is not working. But at the end of it he gave a ticket to a Yadav," said Rajbhar.
'Have freed restive allies'
Reacting to the development, SP senior leader Udaiveer Singh said: "These allies were getting restive to get free, we freed them.”
The split comes days after Shivpal, and Rajbhar’s party broke ranks with the SP and voted for NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.
The letters also come a day after the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government accorded Y-category security to Rajbhar.
You are free to leave: SP
In the letter shared by the SP on its official Twitter handle, the party said: “Om Prakash Rajbhar ji, Samajwadi Party has been constantly fighting against the BJP. You are allied with the BJP and working to strengthen the party. If you think you’ll get more respect elsewhere, you are free to leave.”

In another tweet, SP said: “Shivpal Yadav ji, if you think you’ll get more respect somewhere else, you are free to leave.”

Veering towards the BJP?
Both Shivpal Yadav and Rajbhar have been vocal about their stand against the functioning of Akhilesh Yadav and their inclination towards the BJP with two years left for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Recently, Rajbhar also met Adityanath with the party MLAs. The SBSP has six MLAs in the UP Assembly and played a major role in the SP's vastly improved performance in eastern UP.

After supporting Murmu, the SBSP chief had said that his alliance with the SP stays for now. "The support I have extended to the NDA is only for the presidential election," he said, adding " Abhi toh gathbandhan hai. Rahenge jab tak woh rakhenge (The alliance is intact. We will remain as long as they keep us)."
Earlier this week, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav had accused his uncle Shivpal Yadav of working on the BJP's "directions" to target Yashwant Sinha, the Opposition's presidential nominee.
(With inputs from agencies)