SBSP leader Arvind Rajbhar warns that his party could explore other options if Bihar-based NDA allies LJP (Ram Vilas) and JD(U) expand into Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Chirag Paswan's planned Varanasi campaign and Nishant Kumar's expected visit signal the parties' interest in building an electoral presence.
LJP (RV) is targeting Purvanchal and central Uttar Pradesh, where Pasi and Paswan communities have a significant presence, potentially affecting the BJP's efforts to counter the Samajwadi Party's PDA outreach and consolidate non-Jatav Dalit votes.
As the BJP's Bihar allies, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Janata Dal (United), explore their political options in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, the party's existing allies in the state have signalled opposition to their expansion plans.
The developments come merely a day before Union Minister and LJP (Ram Vilas) president Chirag Paswan is scheduled to launch his party's Nav Sankalpa Mahasabha campaign from Varanasi on Thursday. JD(U) leader and Bihar Health Minister Nishant Kumar, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is also expected to visit Uttar Pradesh soon to address party workers.
The moves have triggered a sharp response from the Om Prakash Rajbhar-led Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), an NDA ally that has warned it could oppose the entry of Bihar-based parties into Uttar Pradesh.
"When we were not allowed to be part of the NDA in Bihar, we will not allow Bihar's entry into Uttar Pradesh. No matter which party it is. If that happens, the Suheldev Party will consider other options," SBSP national general secretary Arvind Rajbhar said, The Indian Express reported.
The SBSP had sought to contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections as part of the NDA but was denied entry and ended up contesting select seats independently. It also extended support to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), but failed to make a significant electoral impact. Thus, for the SBSP, the issue goes beyond expansion of individual parties into new electoral constituencies and more about equal treatment.
BJP Faces Challenge Of Managing Ally Ambitions
The BJP now faces the challenge of managing competing ambitions among its allies without allowing the dispute to affect the broader NDA alliance.
The report said BJP national president Nitin Nabin, who is in Gorakhpur for a two-day visit, is expected to meet legislators from allies Apna Dal (Soneylal) and the NISHAD Party in the region.
Apna Dal MLA Vinay Verma, who represents Shohratgarh, is expected to attend the meeting. NISHAD Party legislators likely to participate include Anil Kumar Tripathi (Mehdawal), Rishi Tripathi (Nautanwa), Sarvan Kumar Nishad (Chauri Chaura), Viveka Nand Pandey (Khadda), Asim Kumar (Tamkuhi Raj) and Ketakee Singh (Bansdih).
The BJP has not commented on the SBSP's remarks. The two parties have been allies since 2023, but their relationship has remained uneasy.
The entry of Chirag Paswan's party into Uttar Pradesh could help the BJP counter the Samajwadi Party's PDA strategy, which focuses on outreach to Pichhda (Backward), Dalits and Alpsankhyak (minorities), and potentially draw a significant share of non-Jatav Dalit votes.
NDA Allies Seek To Strengthen Their Position Ahead Of 2027
The LJP (RV) is a tested political force and helped the BJP-led alliance garner Dalit votes in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Its expansion plans in Uttar Pradesh, however, come amid strains between the BJP and its smaller allies in the state.
Tensions had surfaced in 2024 after the BJP's disappointing performance in the Lok Sabha elections. The party relies on smaller allies to consolidate votes among their respective communities, but the parliamentary results exposed gaps in the alliance's electoral arithmetic.
The tensions have periodically surfaced, with the SBSP's latest warning adding to the challenge of maintaining coordination among NDA partners.
