Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Thursday launched a fresh attack on Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, alleging that party workers are made to pay thousands of rupees to meet him, shake hands with him or get photographed with him.
In a post on X, Rajbhar claimed that some Samajwadi Party workers had recently approached him regarding personal matters and shared their grievances about the alleged practice.
“Friend Akhilesh ji, some of your party workers came to meet me. They belong to your community and are great admirers of you. They said they only want your government to return. But they also had a complaint they could not raise with you directly,” Rajbhar wrote.
He alleged that the workers told him members of Yadav’s inner circle demand money from them.
“They said they are charged Rs 5,000 for a photograph with ‘Bhaiya’, Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 for a handshake, and there is no fixed rate for arranging a meeting,” Rajbhar claimed.
‘If Yadav Workers Are Paying, What About Others?’
Questioning the alleged practice, Rajbhar said he was surprised that Akhilesh Yadav would allow such collections from his own supporters.
“If this is the condition of Yadav workers, I wonder how much others are being charged. I have also heard that your assets have increased 900-fold. Then why this search for extra income? Why extract money earned through the hard work of your party workers?” he said.
Rajbhar added that if the collections were being made by Yadav’s associates without his knowledge, he should intervene immediately.
The SBSP chief said he decided to raise the issue publicly because the workers had requested him to convey their concerns to the Samajwadi Party chief.
“They told me, ‘Minister ji, if you tell him, perhaps our problem will be resolved. Akhilesh Bhaiya will listen to you,” Rajbhar wrote.
Describing himself as a “friend,” Rajbhar advised Yadav to put an end to the alleged practice.
“As a friend, I am advising you to stop turning party meetings into a business. Shut down the rate card at the gate. Don’t fool workers by asking them for Rs 20 donations while they are allegedly being charged thousands elsewhere,” he said.
Rajbhar also warned that such practices could politically damage the Samajwadi Party.
“If this continues, you may not even secure enough seats to claim the Leader of the Opposition’s post next year. It won’t just be the public that defeats you — your own disgruntled workers could do the same,” he added. Akhilesh Yadav and the Samajwadi Party have not responded to Rajbhar’s allegations.
