SBSP to back Murmu, its chief says ally SP does not need him

Justifying his decision to break ranks with the SP, which is supporting the joint Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the Presidential polls, Rajbhar said that his party’s support for the NDA candidate does not mean his alliance with the SP was over. “The SBSP was willing to vote for the SP’s choice of presidential candidate (Yashwant Sinha). However, the SP doesn’t need me… When they don’t need me, then who should I vote for. Also, the Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) and Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) spoke with me… For now, I am with the alliance (SP), and will continue to be with them till they keep me. When the time comes, we will see. We are still with the (SP) alliance,” said Rajbhar.

The SBSP chief, who was not present during Yashwant Sinha’s July 7 press conference in Lucknow, organised by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, had attended a dinner hosted by Chief Minister Adityanath in honour of Murmu a day later when she visited Lucknow, triggering speculation that his party was moving close to the ruling BJP.

Relations between the allies – SP and SBSP – have soured since the Assembly poll results. Rajbhar has on multiple occasions “advised” Akhilesh to step out of AC rooms and travel the state to strengthen his party’s cadre.

Akhilesh, on the other hand, has publicly shrugged off Rajbhar’s advice, saying “the SP doesn’t require anyone’s advice… a lot of times, politics is done from the background”.