Setback to Akhilesh as SP-ally Rajbhar's party to support Droupadi Murmu
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), July 15: In another setback to the Opposition ahead of Presidential polls, Samajwadi Party ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar announced his support for the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Meanwhile, Rajbhar who announced his decision on Friday refuted any cracks within his party's alliance with the Samajwadi Party, which has pledged to support joint Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.
Notably, Rajbhar's party has 6 MLAs in the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly.
The SBSP chief said that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged him to support the NDA candidate in the presidential elections slated to be held on July 18.
"Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had invited us for dinner to discuss extending support to Murmu. He said that since I was vocal on issues relating to the backward classes, Dalits and minorities, I should support Murmu's candidature. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to me after July 12 and said the same things," Rajbar said while addressing a press conference.
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"Shah urged me to support Murmu in the elections and I decided that my party will support her," he added.
Rajbhar had teamed up with the BJP prior to the 2017 Assembly elections before parting ways with it. He then joined hands with Akhilesh Yadav before the 2022 Assembly elections in the state.
Rajbhar recently asserted that "all is well" in the Samajwadi Party-led alliance and that he will decide in a few days whether to support Murmu or the presidential candidate Yashwant Singh, who is backed by the opposition.
However, the head of the SBSP had claimed that Akhilesh Yadav had omitted to invite him to a meeting on July 7. "Akhilesh Yadav held a meeting on July 7 but did not call me. Other allies including Jayant Chaudhary were called to the meeting except us. We are still with the alliance. Rest will be decided in the future," he stated.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, the uncle of Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, recently extended support for Murmu.
Shivpal Singh Yadav, the leader of the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohiya), claimed that Akhilesh Yadav's "political immaturity" was the reason why the SP was fading and that numerous of its leaders were leaving before the Assembly elections.
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-PTC News
