Three Samajwadi Party MLAs, including Abhay Singh, joined the BJP in Amethi. They cited the SP's silence on the Ramcharitmanas desecration and being barred from visiting the Ram Mandir as key reasons, praising CM Yogi's development work.

MLA Abhay Singh on wednesday targeted the Samajwadi Party after joining the BJP in Amethi, declaring that he would oppose anyone who opposes Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram or the country. Speaking to ANI, Singh, referring to the 2023 incident which involved the desecration of Ramcharitmanas, accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) of maintaining silence over the matter, declaring that no comments were made by the party on such incidents.

Ramcharitmanas Controversy Cited by Rebel MLA

"We will oppose anyone who opposes Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram or the country. Tulsidas wrote the Ramcharitmanas and brought the story of Maryada Purushottam Ram to the common people in Hindi and Awadhi. Yet, the Ramcharitmanas is burnt and torn; no comments are made on such incidents; and people are prevented from paying their respects. These things are not right at all..."

In 2023, law enforcement registered a case against eight individuals on charges of ripping pages from the Ramcharitmanas and setting them ablaze in Lucknow's Vrindavan Yojna sector. This development unfolded against the backdrop of remarks made on January 22, 2023, by Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who demanded a formal ban on some portions of the poem, alleging that specific sections of the epic insulted large segments of the population, including Dalits, women, and backward classes.

SP Barred Leaders from Ram Mandir Visit: Ex-MLA

Meanwhile, former Samajwadi Party MLA from Kalpi Vinod Chaturvedi, claimed that the SP high command forbade party leaders from visiting the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, asserting that the directive hurt their sentiments. He further described the developmental work carried out by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the state as unparalleled.

"...When PM Modi inaugurated the temple of Lord Ram, our Speaker in the House had stated that anyone wishing to visit for darshan could do so, but our party high command forbade it. This hurt our sentiments. Secondly, the development work carried out by Yogi Adityanath is unparalleled. The public desires development, and we were elected for this very purpose. We stand with the government that has delivered such development..." Chaturvedi told ANI.

BJP Claims SP Leaders 'Suffocated' by Party Politics

The remarks from the rebel Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders came as MLAs Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh, and Vinod Chaturvedi joined the BJP in Amethi ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. During the ceremony, BJP UP President Pankaj Chaudhary, while welcoming the rebel leaders declared that all three MLAs had bid farewell to Akhilesh Yadav.

Chaudhary asserted that many others within the SP feel suffocated by appeasement and caste politics and are actively seeking an exit from the party. The UP BJP Chief further added that SP president Akhilesh Yadav needs to engage in soul-searching to understand the public's mindset in the state.

Defections Set Stage for 2027 UP Assembly Polls

These latest defections are expected to add to the political contest between the BJP and the SP in Uttar Pradesh, where both parties are seeking to strengthen their positions ahead of the 2027 state Assembly elections. (ANI)

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