Fresh trouble for BJP as Rajbhar's party threatens to quit NDA

January 14, 2019 20:17

In fresh alliance trouble for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh, Om Prakash Rajbhar's Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party on Monday threatened to break its alliance with the saffron party and join the opposition coalition if its demand of sub-quota in the existing OBC reservation was not met.

SBSP general secretary Arvind Rajbhar, son of the party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, said the coming together of arch-rivals Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh had posed a "big challenge" for the BJP.

"I think the alliance is a big challenge for the BJP. If it doesn't agree to the demand of sub-categorisation of OBC quota put forward by Om Prakash Rajbhar, this alliance will remain a big challenge for the BJP," he said.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, a minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led government in the state, has been vocal about implementing an expert group recommendation on sub-categorisation of the 27 per cent OBC quota into three categories to benefit the most backward castes.

Asked if his party could join the opposition alliance in case the SBSP's demands were not met, Arvind Rajbhar said: "We haven't had any talks with the opposition. If the BJP doesn't agree to our demand (sub-categorisation), in that scenario, we can go into the grand alliance, all options are open.

"The Congress also wants that we should align with them and the 'Mahagathbandhan' (SP-BSP) also wants that we join them," he said.

Arvind Rajbhar's remarks come about a week after another National Democratic Alliance constituent Apna Dal-Sonelal warned the BJP of going to "any extent" if it does not change its attitude to smaller parties in the ruling coalition.

THe SBSP has four MLAs in Uttar Pradesh, while Apna Dal-S has nine. The BJP has a huge majority with more than 300 MLAs in the state's 404-member legislative assembly. -- PTI

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