JOIN USSBSP closer to BJP in ideology, both fighting for poor: UP minister Dayashankar Singh
Uttar Pradesh minister Dayashankar Singh met with Suheldev Bahujan Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar here Thursday and asserted that the party was ideologically closer to the BJP since "both are fighting for the poor and the downtrodden".
Both Singh and Rajbhar interacted with news persons after the meeting. While Singh mentioned that "staying together" would be beneficial for both the parties, Rajbhar denied any possibility of an alliance "at the moment".
"Omprakash Rajbhar is ideologically closer to the BJP. He fights for the poor, the Dalits and the downtrodden. BJP is also doing the same thing, so naturally he is closer to BJP," the state minister said.
The SBSP had contested the 2017 Assembly elections in alliance with the BJP and Rajbhar was also made a cabinet minister. The parties parted ways over differences between the SBSP chief and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Rajbhar's party contested last year's state Assembly elections in alliance with the Samajwadi Party, but they went their separate ways after the alliance failed to achieve desired results.
Dayashankar Singh further said that even when Rajbhar was with the SP, he used to tell the SBSP chief that he was going on the wrong path. "You think for the poor, backwards and labourers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are also doing the same thing. You come to our side," Singh recalled having told Rajbhar.
On the possibility of an alliance between the two parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Singh said, "It would be a good thing to have an equation. Staying together is beneficial for both of us. The whole world rests on hope. Possibilities can never be denied in politics."
When asked about the chances of his party coming together with the BJP, Rajbhar, however, denied any possibility at the moment. "We will contest the coming civic elections on our own. All the rest will be seen when the Lok Sabha elections come," he said.
To another question, the SBSP chief accused Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav of colluding with the BJP. He alleged that Yadav talks about opposition unity but refuses to meet with Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati and the Congress leadership.
"If the opposition wants to unite, consider Mayawati as its leader and consider her a Dalit face to make her the prime ministerial candidate," he added.
The SBSP has six MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly at present.