'Major split is going to happen in SP': Rajbhar raises defection storm in Uttar Pradesh

Amid reports of turmoil within Opposition parties in West Bengal and Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has claimed that the Samajwadi Party could be the next to face a major rupture ahead of the 2027 Assembly election.

Rajbhar, a Cabinet minister in the Yogi Adityanath government and president of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, said the entire Samajwadi Party was ready to move towards the Bharatiya Janata Party.

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"A major split is going to happen in the Samajwadi Party," Rajbhar said in a post on Wednesday. The minister said Ram Gopal Yadav has submitted a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"Everyone in Uttar Pradesh knows who the mastermind behind the mining scam and Gomti River Front scam is. As the noose tightens, the SP is getting anxious. Forget Maharashtra and Bengal - the entire SP is sitting ready to join the BJP," Rajbhar added.

The claim, for which Rajbhar offered no evidence and named no potential defectors, comes as political activity gathers pace in Uttar Pradesh, where the ruling alliance and the Opposition have begun sharpening their strategies for the 2027 contest.

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The Samajwadi Party, led by Akhilesh Yadav, has 37 MPs in the Lok Sabha, making it the third-largest party in the House. It currently has 101 members in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly.

The party had won 111 seats in the 2022 state election, but its strength subsequently declined because of resignations, expulsions, and changes in party affiliation.

Rajbhar referred to Ram Gopal Yadav but did not provide details about the letter or establish a connection between it and his claim of an impending split.

Rajbhar has repeatedly targeted Akhilesh Yadav in recent months, with the political exchange between the two leaders becoming sharper as the next state election approaches.

Maharashtra turmoil forms the backdrop

Rajbhar’s remarks came as the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray faced speculation that "six to seven" of its nine Lok Sabha MPs were considering switching to the ruling Shiv Sena headed by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The MPs are reportedly in New Delhi, and Eknath Shinde is also expected to reach the capital. The speculation intensified after only four of the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s nine MPs attended a meeting called by Thackeray in person on Sunday.

The Shinde camp has linked the possible defections to speculation about a larger role for Aaditya Thackeray, who heads the party’s youth wing. Shiv Sena (UBT) is expected to announce a decision regarding Aaditya on June 19, the 60th foundation day of the undivided Shiv Sena.

The Shiv Sena split in 2022 after a rebellion led by Shinde brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Rajbhar has now sought to extend the discussion over Opposition defections to Uttar Pradesh, although the Samajwadi Party has not been shown to face a comparable rebellion.