Lucknow: SBSP chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on Saturday claimed that rebel SP MPs could eventually break away and form a separate group to support the BJP-led NDA on key legislative measures, including the women’s reservation bill that recently failed in the Lok Sabha.UP deputy CM Keshav Maurya, however, disowned Rajbhar’s claim. Speaking to reporters in Prayagraj on Saturday, Keshav Maurya said that there is no substance in Rajbhar’s statements and the BJP does not need any leaders or MPs from the Samajwadi Party.Earlier, Rajbhar told TOI: “These MPs will neither join the BJP nor any of its allies, including our party. They will come together to form a separate group, similar to what happened in the case of the TMC.”He was referring to a recent development where around 20 rebel MPs from Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) broke away and merged with a lesser-known outfit, the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).Rajbhar alleged that sections within the opposition were keen to align with the NDA to push through pending legislation, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which seeks to fast-track 33% reservation for women in legislatures. The bill failed to pass in the Lok Sabha as it required a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.Without naming any SP MP, Rajbhar further claimed that several of them were facing corruption allegations and could come under scrutiny from central agencies such as the CBI and ED.Earlier in the day, he also took a dig at SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over his reported visits to Mumbai. “There are only two MLAs there. Even if they defect, it won’t matter much. But who will manage those here who are preparing to switch sides?” he said. Rajbhar added that any plan by the SP leadership to move its MPs to a resort in Karnataka ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament would not succeed.He also flagged internal tensions within the SP, citing a Moradabad episode where local MP Ruchi Veera was allegedly left out of a ‘PDA conference’. Veera, who skipped the event, reportedly expressed displeasure over not being invited and her photograph being omitted from publicity material.Rajbhar’s remarks are seen as part of a broader NDA narrative highlighting alleged instability within opposition ranks ahead of the 2027 UP Assembly polls and the upcoming Parliament session.The SP dismissed the allegations as “baseless.” Party spokesperson Abdul Hafiz Gandhi said the remarks were “speculative and politically motivated.” “Our MPs, MLAs and workers are firmly committed to Akhilesh Yadav’s leadership. The party is stronger than ever,” he said, urging Rajbhar to focus on his own organisation instead of commenting on others.“Politics should centre on governance and public service, not provocative statements,” Gandhi added.
