Samajwadi Party MP Sanatan Pandey hit back at BJP's defection claims, calling it a "party of cruel people." He dismissed rumours of internal rifts, stating party meetings were focused on an upcoming event, not potential defections.
SP MP Dismisses Defection Claims, Slams 'Cruel' BJP
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Sanatan Pandey on Thursday hit back at Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya over his claims that several SP MPs are in touch with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), calling the saffron party a "party of cruel people."
Speaking to the media, Pandey dismissed reports of any internal rift or potential defections, stating that the party's recent meetings were focused solely on upcoming events. "I have had no discussion on this (with Akhilesh Yadav). We met only to discuss the strategy and program for the August 5 event," Pandey said, downplaying Maurya's assertions.
Launching a scathing attack on the ruling dispensation, the SP leader alleged that the BJP is indifferent to the plight of the common man and is only focused on maintaining its grip on power through unethical means. "The BJP government is a party of cruel people. They have nothing to do with farmers, youth, the poor, democracy, or the constitution. They only want to remain in power by splitting parties," he said.
Pandey further pointed towards the political developments in West Bengal involving the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) to illustrate his point about the BJP's alleged "opportunism." "Who would have thought that a political party like the NCPI, which got only 800 votes in the Assembly elections, would get 20 TMC rebel MPs overnight? These BJP leaders are opportunists," Pandey said.
Pandey Responds to OP Rajbhar
Pandey took a sharp dig at Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief OP Rajbhar over his recent "Baghi Ballia" post on X, while also dismissing claims by the BJP that SP lawmakers are in touch with the ruling party.
Responding to Rajbhar's social media post, Pandey said the statements were "laughable" and unexpected. "I am finding all these statements laughable. I never expected that someone would make such comments about me. I am unable to understand how to respond to this. Until now, the Samajwadi Party fulfilled my wish of becoming an MLA and MP, but now OP Rajbhar has made me popular internationally," Pandey said.
SP Meeting Focused on Janeshwar Mishra's Birth Anniversary
Clarifying the purpose of recent party meetings and dismissing rumours of internal dissent, the Ballia MP explained that the discussions were centred around the birth anniversary of socialist veteran Janeshwar Mishra. "Every year on August 5, an event is organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of Janeshwar Mishra. We had organised a large program regarding the upcoming 2027 celebrations. Everyone gathered there was very excited by this; no Brahmin was upset. In fact, a Brahmin leader committed 10 buses to transport people to the event," he said.
Political Tensions Escalate in UP
The political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh remains tense as both the ruling NDA and the Samajwadi Party-led opposition engage in frequent verbal duels, after Rajbhar claimed that a "major political realignment" was underway within the Samajwadi Party (SP), triggering a war of words between the ruling alliance and the opposition ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Earlier today, UP Minister Sanjay Nishad, the leader of the Nishad Party and a key ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh, claimed that several opposition leaders, from the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress, are in contact with the ruling alliance to switch sides.
When pressed for a specific figure regarding how many opposition MPs are looking to cross over, Nishad provided a rough estimate, stating, "I think there are no less than two dozen as of today." (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)