SBSP chief Rajbhar says Abbas Ansari, Jagdish Rai will cross-vote in RS polls
Synopsis
SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar has publicly declared that two party MLAs — Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai — are effectively SP operatives who merely contested on SBSP’s symbol, and will cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. His allegation that Akhilesh Yadav fielded 12 of his own candidates against a 16-seat agreement signals a serious crack in the SP-SBSP alliance at the worst possible time for opposition unity in Uttar Pradesh.
Key Takeaways
Om Prakash Rajbhar , SBSP National President, said MLAs Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai are aligned with the SP and will cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha elections .
Rajbhar alleged that Akhilesh Yadav gave SBSP 16 seats in name but fielded 12 SP candidates, calling it a ‘betrayal.’ Both MLAs reportedly won Assembly elections on the SBSP symbol but have functioned as SP members since their victory, according to Rajbhar.
The SP and BJP -led alliance each have the numbers to secure seats; the remaining seat contest could hinge on cross-voting.
On 2 October , Congress appointed Aradhana Misra ‘Mona’ as UPCC president and Imran Masood as working president; Rajbhar used the occasion to demand a Muslim CM candidate from Congress.
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) National President Om Prakash Rajbhar on 3 October 2026 declared that party MLAs Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai are likely to cross-vote in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, asserting that both legislators have effectively functioned as Samajwadi Party (SP) members ever since their Assembly victories. Rajbhar accused SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of betraying a pre-poll seat-sharing agreement, setting the stage for a fresh flashpoint in Uttar Pradesh politics ahead of the crucial upper-house contest.
What Rajbhar Said
Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Rajbhar was unequivocal: “They (Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan) have been with the Samajwadi Party since they won. They were with the SP when they contested the elections. They only contested using our symbol.”
He went further, directly charging Yadav with bad faith: “Akhilesh Yadav has betrayed us. He gave us 16 seats in name, but fielded 12 of his own candidates. These are his own people. They have been carrying the Samajwadi Party flag since the elections.” The allegation, if accurate, suggests that SBSP’s electoral symbol was used instrumentally while the two MLAs remained politically aligned with the SP throughout.
The Rajya Sabha Contest in Uttar Pradesh
The remarks come amid heightened political activity in Uttar Pradesh as parties calculate numbers ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections. According to reports, the SP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance each have sufficient legislative strength to secure seats, but the contest for the remaining seat is expected to hinge on additional support and possible cross-voting. The voting preferences of the two SBSP legislators are therefore being closely tracked by political observers.
Notably, this is not the first time that seat-sharing disputes within the INDIA bloc’s constituent parties have created friction ahead of upper-house polls. Alliance arithmetic in UP has historically been volatile, with smaller parties frequently alleging that larger partners absorb their cadre without delivering on electoral commitments.
Rajbhar on Congress Restructuring in UP
Separately, Rajbhar commented on the Indian National Congress reorganising its Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC). On 2 October, the Congress appointed Aradhana Misra ‘Mona’ as the state Congress president and named Imran Masood as working president. Rajbhar described the restructuring as a routine organisational exercise that parties undertake to strengthen vote mobilisation.
However, he used the occasion to issue a pointed challenge. Referring to Masood, Rajbhar said: “He’s not the boss; Sonia Gandhi is the boss. We’ll tell him to tell his party leader to declare a Muslim as the Chief Ministerial candidate in UP. We’ll say that Muslims voted for Congress for a long time, so he should also declare a Muslim as the Chief Minister.” The remark is widely seen as an attempt to sharpen community-identity politics ahead of the next state electoral cycle.
What Comes Next
With Rajbhar publicly signalling that the two MLAs are aligned with the SP rather than the SBSP, the party’s formal position in the Rajya Sabha vote becomes ambiguous. Whether SBSP issues a formal whip, and whether Ansari and Rai comply, will determine the party’s continued relevance as an independent political force in UP. All eyes will now be on how Akhilesh Yadav responds to Rajbhar’s public accusations of betrayal.
Point of View
Their symbols used and their leverage spent. Rajbhar’s remarks also reveal the transactional nature of the INDIA bloc’s UP strategy, where community arithmetic matters more than organisational loyalty. His provocative demand that Congress declare a Muslim Chief Ministerial candidate signals that he intends to position SBSP as the most assertive voice for minority and OBC interests — a lane that both the SP and Congress will resist ceding.
NationPress
3 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Om Prakash Rajbhar say SBSP MLAs will cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha elections?
Rajbhar says both MLAs — Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai — have been functionally aligned with the Samajwadi Party since winning the Assembly elections, and only contested on SBSP’s symbol. He argues they are effectively SP members and will therefore vote along SP lines in the Rajya Sabha poll.
What is Rajbhar’s allegation against Akhilesh Yadav?
Rajbhar alleges that Akhilesh Yadav agreed to give SBSP 16 seats in the Alliance arrangement but then fielded 12 of his own candidates, violating the deal. He has publicly called this a betrayal of the pre-poll understanding between the two parties.
Who are the two SBSP MLAs at the centre of the cross-voting row?
The two MLAs are Abbas Ansari and Jagdish Narayan Rai, who won their respective Assembly seats on SBSP’s election symbol. Rajbhar claims both have operated as Samajwadi Party members since their victories.
What changes did the Congress make to its Uttar Pradesh unit?
On 2 October, the Indian National Congress appointed Aradhana Misra ‘Mona’ as the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president and named Imran Masood as working president, as part of a reorganisation of its state unit.
What did Rajbhar say about declaring a Muslim Chief Minister in UP?
Rajbhar challenged Congress to declare a Muslim as its Chief Ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh, arguing that Muslim voters have long supported Congress and deserve visible political representation at the top. He directed the message at newly appointed UPCC working president Imran Masood.
