UP: Samajwadi Party Expels Three MLAs Who Cross-Voted For BJP In Rajya Sabha Election Last Year, Check List Here

Uttar Pradesh's (UP) Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday (23 June) expelled its three members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for allegedly supporting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The three expelled MLAs are Abhay Singh of Goshainganj, Rakesh Pratap Singh of Gauriganj and Manoj Kumar Pandey from Unchahar in the Rae Bareli district.

Notably, all three are known to have cross-voted for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections held last year, where the BJP won eight seats and the SP could win only two.

SP national president Akhilesh Yadav had then said that action would be taken against MLAs who cross-voted in favour of the BJP. However, the action comes more than a year later.

In a post on X, SP alleged that these MLAs supported the 'communal, divisive and negative politics and anti-PDA (Backwards, Dalits and minorities) ideology', instead of 'positive socialist ideology'.

"The grace period given to these people for change of heart has now been completed," the SP said, regarding the three MLAs and issued a warning to other MLAs, who have been seen favouring the BJP at some instances.

"In future also there will be no place in the party for those who are 'anti-people' and activities contrary to the basic ideology of the party will always be considered unforgivable," the SP post affirmed.

The timing of the move is interesting as it is believed that a Cabinet reshuffle is set to take place in UP in the coming months and the SP's rebel MLAs are likely to be included in the Yogi government.