Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an ally of the ruling BJP in UP, dared the dominant ally to declare a candidate for Chandauli lok Sabha constituency, claiming that it would field Siunil Patel as its candidate in the 2019 poll
The Chandauli seat is represented by state BJP president Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey in the lok Sabha.
SBSP president and UP minister, Om Prakash Rajbhar said, “Our demand is simple. We want reservation within reservation for Backwards and Dalits and the BJP should implement it. If they do it by October it is fine, orf else we will part ways,” Rajbhar told ‘The Pioneer’ on Thursday.
SBSP is demanding quota for Most Backwards Classes (MBCs) within the 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Class (OBCs).
Rajbhar said that his party was shortlisting candidates for all 80 lok Sabha seats in the state.
“We have announced candidate for Chandauli and will soon declare candidates for other constituencies as well,” he said.
SBSP has four MlAs in the UP assembly and Om Prakash Rajbhar is a cabinet minister in the Yogi government.
Oflate, Rajbhar’s tone against the government has been full of barbs. “The BJP government has not given us any accommodation for a party office in lucknow while the demand for setting up a statue of Suheldeo at Ambedkar Park has been ovwerlooked. Besides, the party’s demand to declare Bahraich as a tourism district after Suheldeo has also not fulfilled,” he said.
Rajbhar said that his party was not bound to tow the BJP line. “We are an independent political entity and will remain so,” he declared.