Even as backward caste politics has taken centre stage in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh realpolitik, Om Prakash Rajbhar of Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) has suddenly become a persona non grata because of his emergence as a ‘bargainer’ in state politics.
A month back, Rajbhar’s SBSP had forged an alliance with Hyderabad-based All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen and formed Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha (BSM), under which AIMIM was to contest 100 seats and SBSP around 200 seats, majority of them in eastern UP, in the 2022 assembly polls.
But after Rajbhar met Bharatiya Janata Party state president Swatantra Dev Singh in Lucknow, the AIMIM threatened to sever its ties with his outfit. Political somersault has not been a unique nature for the SBSP chief as he had earlier met Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, igniting political rumours that he might align with the SP. But his meeting with the BJP state president raised a big question as to what exactly Rajbhar and his SBSP had in mind.
“Nothing is impossible in politics. One should be ready to avail of any opportunity which comes on one’s way,†Rajbhar had told this reporter after his meeting with the top BJP leader. He even said that if the BJP declared that it would give the chief ministerial post to a backward, his party would support BJP.
“I have opened my doors for every party but they should be ready to accept our demands if they want our support. Our party has a huge influence in east UP,†he had stressed.
But after that meeting, the AIMIM put the SBSP president under a notice. Expressing surprise at Rajbhar's meeting with the BJP leaders, UP MIM chief Shaukat Ali said that if the SBSP decided to go with the BJP, there would be no chance of continuing the alliance.
The AIMIM, which considers itself to be a heavyweight within Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha (BSM) coalition, is yet to get a clear understanding of Rajbhar’s intentions as he was an ally of the BJP in the past and had also served as a UP cabinet minister before parting ways with the ruling party in the 2019 general elections.
Even in Samajwadi Party, the lawmakers are not in favour of Akhilesh Yadav joining hands with Rajbhar despite the fact that both parties can gel better due to similarity in their political ideologies. Moreover, Samajwadi Party wants to ally with smaller outfits and SBSP is perfectly in line with the stated policy of the SP. Despite all these positives, SP leaders want Akhilesh to maintain a safe distance from Rajbhar and his SBSP.
“Om Prakash Rajbhar is a tough bargainer and is in a continuous hunt for greener pastures. He is holding negotiations with the BJP also and it is difficult for us to ascertain as to where he stands and for how long. Even if we enter into an alliance with the SBSP and leave some seats for his party, no one can guarantee that he will stay with us after the elections. Recently, former Bahujan Samaj Party leader Sukhdev Rajbhar’s son joined SP. The senior Rajbhar has relinquished politics but holds sway in eastern UP and hence we have a strong Rajbhar leader there. In this scenario, why bet on a person whose loyalty is questionable,†a SP lawmaker opined.
