Samajwadi Party expels three MLAs for anti-party activities

Lucknow, June 23 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Monday expelled three of its sitting MLAs -- Abhay Singh (Gosaiganj), Rakesh Pratap Singh (Gauriganj), and Manoj Kumar Pandey (Unchahar) -- for indulging in what it described as anti-party activities and ideological deviation.

The decision was announced through an official statement on the party’s X handle.

The statement cited the legislators’ alleged alignment with “communal, divisive, and negative ideologies,” contradicting the party’s “socialist, harmonious, and progressive” values.

“In view of their consistent opposition to the interests of farmers, women, youth, entrepreneurs, working professionals, and the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) alliance, and their support to ideologies that go against the SP's core principles, the party has decided to expel the following MLAs in the public interest -- Shri Abhay Singh (Gosaiganj), Shri Rakesh Pratap Singh (Gauriganj), and Shri Manoj Kumar Pandey (Unchahar),” the party said in its post.

The SP further noted that while these legislators were earlier given a “grace period” to reconsider their political stance and return to the party fold, they failed to do so.

“This grace period is now over. In the future, those indulging in anti-people activities and opposing the party's ideology will find no place in the Samajwadi Party,” it added.

The party also cautioned them, saying, “Wherever you are, remain trustworthy.”

The expelled MLAs had rebelled against the party during the Rajya Sabha elections held in 2024.

Despite being party legislators at the time, they cross-voted in favour of the BJP. Although SP had the numerical strength to send three candidates to the Rajya Sabha, cross-voting by at least seven of its MLAs led to the BJP’s eighth candidate, Sanjay Seth, securing a win, and SP’s third candidate losing the contest.

Since the Rajya Sabha elections, these MLAs have been seen hobnobbing with the BJP, participating in its events, and distancing themselves from the SP’s political line.

Despite their expulsion, the three legislators technically continue to remain Samajwadi Party MLAs in the Assembly records unless further legislative action is taken.

--IANS

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