Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said 25 to 26 [1] Samajwadi Party MPs are prepared to break away from their party.
Such a mass defection would significantly shift the political landscape in Uttar Pradesh and potentially alter the balance of power in the legislature. If these members leave, it could weaken the primary opposition's ability to challenge the ruling government's agenda.
Maurya made the statements on June 17, 2026 [2], in Lucknow. He said that a split is imminent within the Samajwadi Party, citing dissatisfaction among its leaders. Maurya said that these officials may choose to leave on their own and said that the Bharatiya Janata Party is not engineering the split [3].
These claims align with similar reports regarding SBSP chief Om Prakash Rajbhar, who also suggested a split within the party [4]. The narrative of an impending exodus suggests a period of instability for the opposition leadership.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has rejected these assertions. Yadav said the Samajwadi Party remains strong and united, denying that any split is occurring [5].
The disagreement between the Deputy Chief Minister and the party chief highlights a sharp divide in how the current state of the opposition is being portrayed. While the BJP leadership points to internal fragility, the Samajwadi Party maintains that its ranks are secure.
“25 to 26 Samajwadi Party MPs are prepared to break away from their party.”
This situation reflects a common tactical pattern in Indian regional politics where claims of impending defections are used to create psychological pressure on opposition parties. If the predicted number of MPs actually defect, it would represent a critical blow to the Samajwadi Party's organizational strength. However, the stark contradiction between Maurya's claims and Yadav's denial suggests that the actual scale of the instability remains unverified.
