Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Wednesday, 11 November launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that internal factionalism within the party was once again intensifying — this time threatening to erode the SP's core vote base in the Purvanchal region.

The Core Allegation

Rajbhar claimed that an SP leader had submitted an internal report indicating that the party's 18 per cent Yadav vote base in Purvanchal was beginning to crumble. He alleged that the long-running political rivalry between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle's faction within the Saifai family — a reference to the broader Yadav political clan — had resurfaced with renewed intensity.

In a post on social media platform X, Rajbhar took aim at the SP chief, pointedly noting that while Akhilesh was preparing to visit a temple, signs of rebellion were reportedly emerging at the grassroots level in Purvanchal. 'While you prepare to visit a temple — after having committed countless wrongs — a bugle of rebellion has sounded within the SP in the Purvanchal region. One of your own leaders has submitted an extensive report indicating that the SP's 18 per cent Yadav vote base in Purvanchal is beginning to crumble,' Rajbhar alleged.

The 'Mahabharat' Reference

Invoking the epic's theme of fratricidal conflict, Rajbhar described the intra-party tensions as a 'Mahabharat' within the Saifai clan, with the uncle's faction and Akhilesh's faction reportedly 'clashing, maces in hand.' He further alleged that supporters of Akhilesh's uncle were actively working against the SP chief — burning his effigies and facilitating direct video calls with the uncle to negotiate political deals with 'strongmen and wealthy financiers.'

'The word on the ground is: "The uncle is better than the bhaiya (nephew),"' Rajbhar claimed, underscoring what he characterised as a widening trust deficit between the two factions.

Rajbhar's Advice to Akhilesh

In a sarcastic aside, the SBSP chief advised Akhilesh to offer his 'dandavat pranam (prostrations)' to his youngest paternal uncle every morning and evening, suggesting that reconciliation was still possible if the SP chief made the first move. 'Who knows — perhaps his heart might soften, and he might choose to forgive every insult he has endured,' Rajbhar added.

He also alleged that Akhilesh remained disconnected from the ground realities unfolding across UP's districts. 'You may continue to sit comfortably in the capital, tweeting away in your air-conditioned office, but a full-blown revolt has already taken root in the districts,' the minister said.

What It Means for the SP

Rajbhar warned that the internal conflict could translate directly into electoral damage, claiming that rebel candidates would contest seats across constituencies with financial backing from influential figures. This comes amid the broader context of Purvanchal's political significance — the region encompasses dozens of assembly seats that have historically swung between the SP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance, of which the SBSP is a constituent.

Notably, Rajbhar's remarks are not the first time he has used public platforms to amplify SP's internal tensions; his party has a history of competitive politics with the SP in eastern UP. The SP is yet to formally respond to the latest allegations. All eyes will now be on whether the party issues a rebuttal or the uncle-nephew dynamic produces a public flashpoint ahead of future electoral cycles.