LUCKNOW: The Suhaildev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Sunday announced joining the BJP-led NDA, in a development that could potentially help the saffron outfit firm up its stronghold amongst the OBC, essentially in the politically crucial east UP region.
The development came a day after Rajbhar met Union home minister and BJP's chief poll strategist Amit Shah in New Delhi, months after he broke ties with the Samajwadi Party with whom it contested the UP assembly polls.
The announcement of the BJP-SBSP alliance was made by Shah who tweeted that the alliance with Rajbhar will help strengthen BJP's efforts to improve the lives of poor and the deprived sections of the society.
Rajbhar too later held a press conference and said that the alliance will send a broad message to NDA's ever increasing strength across the country. The SBSP chief said that he would also attend the NDA meet in New Delhi on July 18.
Sources said that Rajbhar has reportedly sought to field his party candidates from at least two seats in UP -- Ghazipur and Ghosi. Speculations are also rife that he might also be accommodated in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet in the days to come.
Having a sizable population in east UP districts, the Rajbhar community is said to play a crucial role in deciding electoral fortunes of a political party. The SBSP was part of the BJP led NDA in 2017 when it won at least four seats. Rajbhar was inducted in the Yogi cabinet. He, however, developed differences with the state government and decided to quit.
BJP-SBSP alliance came a day after SP MLA Dara Singh Chauhan quit the membership of UP assembly and the Akhilesh Yadav-led outfit and met Shah. Chauhan, also an OBC, is expected to join the BJP soon. Chauhan too has been seeking to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Ghosi.
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