Lucknow: In a significant political development, the Samajwadi Party has expelled three of its legislator mebers, Manoj Kumar Pandey, Rakesh Pratap Singh, and Abhay Singh for alleged anti-party activities and growing inclination towards the ruling BJP. Party president Akhilesh Yadav issued the expulsion order on July 5. Following this, the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker declared all three MLAs "unattached" from July 9.
Principal Secretary Pradeep Kumar Dubey issued the notification formalizing the move. The disqualified legislators will no longer be allowed to represent the party in the Assembly or participate in SP events. The development has triggered sharp political discussions across the state, with many seeing it as a strategic move by the SP ahead of upcoming elections.
For months, speculation had been rife about the trio’s growing dissent within the party. All three MLAs had been distancing themselves from SP leadership and were perceived to be sympathetic to the BJP. Rakesh Pratap Singh, MLA from Gauriganj in Amethi, had repeatedly issued statements in support of the government. Abhay Singh and Manoj Pandey too had defied the party line on several occasions.
Akhilesh Yadav, reacting sharply, quipped that the expulsion would "clear the technical hurdles" to their becoming ministers, sarcastically adding he would remove more rebels to help them as well. The disqualification underscores SP’s internal discipline push following the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The MLAs, now unattached, lose key privileges such as representing a party in the Assembly, designated seating, and participation in parliamentary committees
