UP minister claims Samajwadi Party facing split, joining BJP

A senior Uttar Pradesh minister has claimed the state's main opposition party is on the verge of a major split, alleging that numerous Samajwadi Party leaders are prepared to defect to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The claims, made by state minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday, have intensified political speculation ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections.

Rajbhar, whose party is an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in Uttar Pradesh, made the allegations in a social media post and subsequent comments to reporters. He asserted that senior Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav had submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, though he provided no evidence of the alleged communication. Rajbhar suggested the letter contained names of leaders ready to switch sides, stating that Yadav had reportedly told Shah to "call them and take them with you, but keep us safe." He declined to identify any specific individuals, saying revealing names would spoil the effort.

Linking the alleged internal unrest to ongoing investigations, Rajbhar referenced corruption cases involving Samajwadi Party figures. He noted that the...