In a setback to the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), its founder member and national vice president Mahendra Rajbhar on Monday resigned from the party along with over two dozen members.
He claimed SBSP president Om Prakash Rajbhar has deviated from the party mission of working for the poor and deprived, and his only agenda is to collect money.
He also alleged that the party president maybe sheltering Mau MLA Abbas Ansari, who was recently declared an absconder in an arms licence case by a court, at his home.
Reacting to the development, SBSP national general secretary Arun Rajbhar said it appears that those who resigned were influenced by the Samajwadi Party.
The party will try to reach out to them, he said.
The SBSP ended its alliance with the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in July.
The two parties had fought together the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls held early this year.
"Om Prakash Rajbhar is only engaged in collecting money. We founded the party 20 years ago in 2002 with a mission to work for the poor, Dalits and deprived. But now he is using the party for money," Mahendra Rajbhar told reporters.
Due to this, he said, over two dozen party leaders including state general secretary Arjun Chauhan and state vice president Awadhesh Rajbhar have resigned along with him.
Abbas Ansari, who is wanted in a criminal case, might be staying at Om Prakash Rajbhar's place, Mahendra Rajbhar alleged.
Mahendra Rajbhar had contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls from Mau as the Bharatiya Janata Party-SBSP alliance candidate against mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari, who is also Abbas Ansari's father, and lost by a margin of 6,000 votes.
During an election rally in Mau, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had dubbed Mahendra Rajbhar 'Kattappa', a character in the popular movie 'Baahubali', who can finish 'Baahubali' (Mukhtar Ansari).
SBSP national general secretary Arun Rajbhar said it seems that those who have resigned were influenced by the SP.
"We will try to talk to them," he said.
