Uttar Pradesh Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday, 18 June declared that the Samajwadi Party (SP) will not return to power in Uttar Pradesh for at least the next two decades — not before 2047. The sharp prediction came as Rajbhar reiterated claims of an impending split within the SP, even as a key figure named in those claims publicly denied them.

Rajbhar's Core Assertion

Speaking to reporters, Rajbhar left little room for ambiguity. 'Forget 2027 (Assembly polls); the game will be over even before the House session begins. Write it down — the Samajwadi Party will not come to power until 2047,' he said. The statement builds on his earlier claim that a faction within the SP, reportedly led by a figure he described as the 'son of UP's land of rebels' — widely interpreted as a reference to SP MP Sanatan Pandey — was poised to break away. Pandey has denied the claim.

Split Claims and the 25-26 MPs Allegation

Rajbhar also backed Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya's assertion that 25 to 26 Samajwadi Party MPs are ready to defect. He alleged that SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah carrying a letter containing the names of SP leaders willing to exit the party, a meeting he linked to the intensification of ongoing probes against SP-affiliated figures. These claims have not been independently verified.

Scam Allegations and CBI Probe

Rajbhar trained his fire on a series of alleged scams, asserting that the state government had launched thorough investigations. 'In the mining scam case being investigated by the CBI, the names of Gayatri Prajapati and Akhilesh Yadav have surfaced. Gayatri Prajapati is in jail, while Akhilesh Yadav is out,' he said. He further alleged that the son of Ram Gopal Yadav and the son of Shivpal Singh Yadav were both implicated in the Gomti Riverfront case, adding that these individuals remained free owing to the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The SP has not responded to these specific allegations in the available record.

Responding to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's corruption charges over transfers and postings, Rajbhar deflected: 'Transfers and postings are the responsibility of officials, not Ministers.' He also questioned how SP leaders and their families had, in his words, 'accumulated assets worth thousands of crores' and could afford chartered flights, linking the wealth to alleged involvement in mining, laptop distribution, and the Gomti Riverfront projects.

Ram Temple Offerings Probe

On the investigation into alleged misappropriation of monetary offerings at Ayodhya's Ram Temple, Rajbhar said those pointing fingers at him should first account for incidents within their own communities — a response that stopped short of directly addressing the probe's specifics.

Modi's Global Standing

Rajbhar also took the opportunity to praise Prime Minister Modi's international profile following the G7 Summit in France, saying the PM 'carries a message of peace and cooperation wherever he goes' and believes countries should prioritise mutual trade over conflict. The remarks served as a broader endorsement of the ruling National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) political standing ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.