New Delhi: Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, all political parties have already begun preparations in full swing. These elections could prove to be highly significant for the BJP, SP, Congress, and BSP. The seat-sharing formula within the NDA remains unclear. Meanwhile, within the INDIA alliance, things do not appear to be entirely smooth between the SP and the Congress regarding seat-sharing.
In Uttar Pradesh, the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of the BJP, has demanded 82 seats from the BJP’s top leadership. Furthermore, they have already submitted a list of these 82 seats to the BJP high command. Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar stated, “We have submitted a list of 82 seats to the BJP’s top leadership; when asked, we informed them that we have made preparations for this many assembly constituencies.
Before this, the SBSP had already appointed election in-charges for 35 of these seats. The extent to which the BJP will entertain these claims will only become clear once the final seat-sharing arrangement is announced.
What did Rajbhar say regarding Kharge?
Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar made a sharp remark concerning a statement by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. He suggested that such statements should be avoided—likening the situation to the proverb “a frustrated cat scratches the pillar” (implying lashing out due to frustration). He added that Kharge should apologise to the nation; otherwise, he would face protests in the Purvanchal region.
Targeting the Samajwadi Party, OP Rajbhar claimed that even if Akhilesh Yadav tries his best, the SP might secure only 6 out of the 125 seats in the Purvanchal region, with the NDA set to win the rest. Responding to a statement by MLA Abbas Ansari, Rajbhar remarked, “He is still a child; I am like an uncle to him. He should think carefully before speaking.”
Will seat-sharing increase the BJP’s concerns?
All eyes are on the seat-sharing discussions between the BJP and Om Prakash Rajbhar. The key question remains: will the BJP grant the number of seats that Rajbhar has demanded? Rajbhar’s party holds a vote base in the Purvanchal region,eregionon an area where two other BJP allies, the Nishad Party and the Apna Dal (S), also have a presence. Consequently, when it comes to seat-sharing, the BJP will need to carefully navigate the selection of candidates and the overall political equation.
It is worth noting that in the 2022 assembly elections, the SBSP (Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party) contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party. In that election, the SBSP fielded candidates for 19 seats and secured victories in 6 of them. However, just a year after the election, Rajbhar joined the BJP fold.
