Lucknow: In a significant political move ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party (SP) on Sunday expelled three sitting MLAs for what it called their “communal, divisive and anti-people” ideology. Those expelled include senior leader and former minister Manoj Kumar Pandey, along with MLAs Abhay Singh and Rakesh Pratap Singh.
The announcement was made through an official post on the party’s social media handle. The post accused the three legislators of aligning with a “communal, divisive, anti-farmer, anti-women, anti-youth, anti-business, anti-working-class and anti-PDA ideology.”
“All three had been given a grace period to reconsider their actions, but that period has ended. Others who were given such time remain because of their good conduct. The SP will not accommodate anyone who opposes the party’s core ideology,” the post stated, ending with the remark: “Wherever you are, remain trustworthy.”
Political implications:
The move signals SP’s determination to tighten internal discipline as it prepares for the 2027 assembly polls. It also reinforces the PDA narrative, which Akhilesh Yadav recently called an “emotional connect” with the marginalized.
Political analyst Yogesh Mishra told this reporter: “This is Akhilesh’s way of drawing a red line. He wants no ambiguity about the party’s ideological direction. Those not on board with the PDA agenda or seen cosying up to BJP will be weeded out.”
Another Lucknow-based observer said, “It is also a message to the BJP: even if they try to engineer defections, SP will go public and aggressive in exposing it.”
With the expulsion of these three MLAs, the SP not only removes internal dissenters but also tries to project a sharper ideological contrast with the BJP ahead of future political battles.
The Expelled Leaders:
Manoj Kumar Pandey: A four-time MLA from Rae Bareli’s Unchahar constituency and a prominent face in the party, Pandey had been drifting away from SP since the Rajya Sabha elections, where he was accused of cross-voting in favour of the BJP. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, speculation was rife that he might get a BJP ticket from Rae Bareli. Though the ticket eventually went to BJP’s Dinesh Pratap Singh, Pandey kept a visible distance from Singh’s campaign. His discontent prompted Union Home Minister Amit Shah to visit his residence, after which Pandey joined BJP’s election campaign in the region.
Abhay Singh: The MLA from Gosainganj, known for his aggressive style, had been under the SP’s watch for allegedly undermining the party's PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) plank, which SP president Akhilesh Yadav has championed as a counter to BJP's Hindutva narrative.
Rakesh Pratap Singh: Representing Gauriganj in Amethi, Singh has also been critical of party decisions in recent times and was seen warming up to BJP circles.
