In the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, speculations about Om Prakash Rajbhar’s political affiliation are rife. While indications of his association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerge, Rajbhar keeps people guessing with his classic flip-flop approach.
Earlier, many assumptions were made about Rajbhar’s political alliance. The conjectures intensified when he sharpened his tone against the Samajwadi Party (SP). In the MLC elections, he openly supported the BJP. According to sources, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP entrusted Dayashankar Singh with the responsibility of bringing Rajbhar back to the party.
Several meetings were witnessed between Singh and Rajbhar. The duo has often cited either formalities or personal relations to justify these meetings. The marriage of Rajbhar’s son further stoked the rumours as significant BJP leaders attended the wedding and reception. Rajbhar’s meeting with the Chief Minister while he was in Kashi was also noted.
While Rajbhar, president of SBSP, has denied these speculations, he has said that he would join the BSP supremo and Akhilesh Yadav on the same platform, even though he knows this is almost impossible.
Regarding the bridge between the BJP and Rajbhar, Dayashankar Singh has said that he and Rajbhar share a personal relationship, and an alliance with the BJP would benefit both parties. He has also explored the possibility of equations with other parties. He accepts that managing Rajbhar is a challenge, but calls him a man of clear heart. Ultimately, the top command of the party will decide the alliance.
Samajwadi Party’s MLC Sunil Singh Sajan questions the reasons that compel Rajbhar to act this way, insisting Rajbhar has not been involved in corruption. He speculates whether Rajbhar is acting out of fear of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Politics is based on friendships and enmities that depend on gains and losses. If equations are to be discussed, Om Prakash Rajbhar may not have benefited much from an alliance with the SP. Hence, in view of alternatives, the BJP could be a beneficial choice for Rajbhar’s party in the Lok Sabha elections. This could be true regarding equations and vote banks, but it remains to be seen when these speculations become a reality.
