Om Prakash Rajbar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party or SBSP has returned to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted after their meeting on Sunday.
“Meet Shri @oprajbhar ji in Delhi and decided to join NDA alliance led by Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. I welcome him to the NDA family,” Shah tweeted.
“Rajbhar ji’s arrival will strengthen the NDA in Uttar Pradesh and the efforts made by the NDA under the leadership of Modi ji for the welfare of the poor and underprivileged will get more strength,” he added.
Speculations were rife that the SBSP might join the NDA ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls after former minister Rajbhar met Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak at his Raj Bhavan Colony residence in Lucknow on Tuesday.
Both Rajvar and his party general secretary Arun described the meeting as a “personal meeting”.
Pathak has been seen several times with Rajbhar. Apart from Pathak, Yogi Adityanath’s transport minister Daya Shankar Singh was also active in trying to broker an accord between the BJP and the SBSP.
Earlier Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had said that the “party high command” would decide on the alliance.
Rumors are that the BJP is interested in a Nishad party type arrangement with Rajbar by giving a Lok Sabha ticket to Rajbar’s son from Gazipur and making Om Prakash a cabinet minister in Yogi 2.0.
Some others suggested that while the BJP was only willing to give up a solitary seat to the SBSP, the latter was pushing for around three to four Lok Sabha seats, citing its ability to win seats in alliance with the BJP.
(with input from Bureau at Lucknow)
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