In a major setback for the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, three of its rebel MLAs will join the ruling BJP on Wednesday. The three rebel MLAs include Rakesh Pratap Singh, Abhay Singh, and Vinod Chaturvedi.
Interestingly, the BJP chose Amethi for this major joining ceremony, which will be attended by BJP senior leader Smriti Irani and UP BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary. Political analysts believe the BJP chose Amethi as a show of strength ahead of the assembly elections.
Rakesh Pratap Singh is an MLA from the Gauriganj seat in Amethi, who won on the SP ticket in 2012, 2017 and 2022. He rebelled against the SP in the Rajya Sabha elections in February 2024, cross-voting for the BJP candidate. He was expelled from the SP in June 2025.
Abhay Singh, an MLA from the Gosaiganj constituency in Ayodhya district, is also a prominent leader. He courted controversy for his differences with the party leadership and political rhetoric. His switch could spark new political activity in the Ayodhya region. Vinod Chaturvedi is the SP MLA from the Kalpi assembly seat in Jalaun district. Speculation has already been rife in political circles about his possible joining the BJP.
Political analysts believe the MLAs joining the SP is more than just defection. It is seen as a part of the BJP’s strategy to strengthen its social and regional alignments by breaking into the opposition camp ahead of the elections. All three MLAs hold different political weight in their constituencies and could help the BJP expand its political reach from Awadh to Bundelkhand.
One reason is that the BJP also considers this an opportunity to challenge the opposition’s unity. It expects the departure of SP MLAs to raise questions about Akhilesh Yadav's leadership and organisational strength. The BJP could present this as growing discontent within the opposition and the inability of SP leaders to sort it out.
Second: Harness regional equations by including leaders from diverse regions like Gauriganj, Gosainganj, and Kalpi. The role of influential local leaders can be crucial, especially in seats where electoral contests are close.
Third, challenge SP's PDA politics. A major pillar of Akhilesh Yadav's politics is his strategy of bringing together backward classes, Dalits, and minorities. The defection of established SP leaders to the BJP could spark debate about the political strength of this social alliance. However, the BJP will benefit from this only if it can effectively integrate these leaders into the local organisation.
However, the entry of new leaders into the BJP could affect the candidacy of existing party workers and potential candidates. Inducting new leaders into seats where the party already has a strong organisation could also create local discontent.
However, the SP is unfazed. SP spokesperson Udayveer Singh took a dig at the rebel MLAs, comparing them to an appendix that is removed when problems arise. "The Samajwadi Party has already expelled all these people from its ranks. For our party, they are vestigial organs, like an appendix that grows and hurts. People remove it. What the BJP wants to do with these vestigial organs is their problem. We already have a clear distance from them," he said.
