OBC leader Om Prakash Rajbhar on Sunday announced his return to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah of BJP. The move will give a significant boost for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh.
Rajbhar, the founder-leader of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), met with Shah, who welcomed him back to the NDA.
Expressing his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, Rajbhar stated that the alliance would work together for social justice, national security, good governance, and the empowerment of marginalized sections of society.
The BJP and SBSP will now join forces for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Rajbhar's influence within the Rajbhar community, which has a significant presence in eastern Uttar Pradesh, adds value to the BJP's electoral prospects.
The alliance between Rajbhar's SBSP and the Samajwadi Party had played a crucial role in the BJP's comparatively weaker performance in parts of 'poorvanchal' during the 2022 assembly polls. However, after the elections, relations soured between Rajbhar and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, leading to Rajbhar's decision to realign with the BJP.
The BJP's move to bring Rajbhar back into the NDA underscores its efforts to strengthen its position across Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. With the party aiming to win all 80 seats in the 2024 elections, its focus on expanding alliances in Uttar Pradesh highlights its determination. In the 2019 elections, the BJP secured 62 seats, while the SP-BSP alliance won 17.
The resignation of another OBC leader from 'Poorvanchal,' Dara Singh Chauhan, as a Samajwadi Party MLA on Saturday aligns with the BJP's broader strategy to consolidate support among backward classes. Chauhan had met with Amit Shah before his resignation and is expected to join forces with the BJP. Chauhan had previously been associated with the BJP but had switched to the SP ahead of the 2022 assembly polls.
(Edited by : Pradeep John)
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