Lucknow: Amidst voting for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, there are reports of some Samajwadi Party MLAs changing sides.
Samajwadi Party Supremo Akhilesh Yadav slammed the rebel MLAs and said that they did not have the courage to vote against the government. Those who got scared have gone there (to BJP), they have no courage. Our party leaders believe that such people should be removed, reports Dynamite News correspondent.
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After the resignation of SP MLA Manoj Pandey, five SP MLAs met CM Yogi and there is speculation that they will join BJP. With this, the possibility of cross-voting in Rajya Sabha poll has become stronger.
Targeting the BJP, SP Chief said that some of the rebel MLAs might have been threatened also. A lot of speculations are taking rounds including a deal with some 'heavy package' at the instance of Delhi.
Akhilesh Yadav said, 'I don't know anything about anyone's conscience. But the government must have given some inducement to those who went...They might have lured the rebel MLAs with ministerial berths. However, the Party will get stronger after their departure.'
The rebel SP MLAs include Mukesh Verma, Maharaji Prajapati, Pooja Pal, Rakesh Pandey, Vinod Chaturvedi, Rakesh Pratap Singh and Abhay Singh.