Om Prakash Rajbhar, Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister and chief of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), on Wednesday, 17 June claimed that the Samajwadi Party (SP) is headed for an internal split, with several of its MPs allegedly prepared to defect to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rajbhar drew direct parallels with political ruptures in West Bengal and Maharashtra, asserting that Uttar Pradesh is next in line.

The Letter at the Centre of the Controversy

Rajbhar pointed to what he described as a politically loaded exchange — a letter reportedly handed by senior SP leader and Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Ram Gopal Yadav to Home Minister Amit Shah — as the key signal of an impending realignment. According to Rajbhar, the letter contained names of SP MPs willing to switch sides and was effectively a request for political protection.

'Didn't you see Ram Gopal Yadav ji carrying a letter and quietly handing it over to Home Minister Amit Shah? The message was that many people from their party could join you, so please save us, but take some of them along,' Rajbhar said.

He further challenged Yadav to make the letter public, arguing that the refusal to disclose its contents was itself evidence of its nature. 'We are saying that Ram Gopal should make that list public and explain what letter he handed over and for what purpose. Otherwise, it appears that the letter mentioned certain MPs and leaders who could be called over and would join the BJP,' he added.

TMC and Maharashtra Comparisons

Rajbhar invoked the precedents of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Shiv Sena (UBT) splits to underscore his prediction. Both parties suffered high-profile defections in recent years — the TMC saw a wave of leaders cross over to the BJP ahead of the 2021 Bengal assembly elections, while Maharashtra's Shiv Sena fractured dramatically in 2022. Rajbhar claimed the SP is on a similar trajectory.

This is not the first time BJP-aligned leaders have forecast SP defections — such claims have periodically surfaced ahead of state political cycles — but the specificity of Rajbhar's allegations, centring on a named letter and named individuals, marks an escalation in rhetoric.

Scam Allegations as the Alleged Trigger

Earlier on the same day, Rajbhar had posted on X suggesting that pressure from ongoing investigations into the mining scam and the Gomti River Front scam could be the catalyst driving SP leaders toward the BJP. 'Everyone in Uttar Pradesh knows who the mastermind behind the mining scam and Gomti River Front scam is. As the noose tightens, the SP is getting anxious,' he wrote, without naming individuals directly.

Brahmin Outreach and the SP's Political Challenges

Rajbhar also criticised the SP's recent efforts to court Brahmin voters, arguing the community would not forgive the party following remarks made by an SP MP who reportedly compared Brahmins to prostitutes in an abusive outburst. He contended that the outreach attempt was unlikely to succeed given the absence of any visible accountability from the party leadership over the incident.

What Happens Next

Neither Ram Gopal Yadav nor the Samajwadi Party had responded to Rajbhar's allegations at the time of reporting. The claims remain unverified and are attributed solely to Rajbhar, a BJP ally in Uttar Pradesh. Political observers will watch whether any SP legislators publicly signal a shift in the days ahead, and whether the party leadership moves to counter the narrative before it gains further traction.