Political Tensions Flare in Jaunpur: Suheldev Swabhiman Party Leader Mahendra Rajbhar Publicly Assaulted During Event

In yet another instance of Uttar Pradesh’s turbulent and theatrical political landscape, a dramatic incident unfolded in Jaunpur, capturing public attention and setting off a flurry of political commentary. Mahendra Rajbhar, a prominent figure in the regional political sphere and leader of the Suheldev Swabhiman Party (SSP), was publicly assaulted during a political event—an act that was both shocking in its suddenness and politically loaded in its implications.

The incident took place during what appeared to be a routine public gathering, where Rajbhar was invited on stage and ceremonially garlanded—a common show of respect in Indian politics. However, what followed left the audience stunned.

Brajesh Rajbhar, a party worker, suddenly began slapping Mahendra Rajbhar multiple times in front of the crowd. The attack, which was captured on video and has since gone viral across social media platforms, quickly sparked outrage and raised questions about the underlying tensions within the political factions of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

In the video, Brajesh Rajbhar is heard delivering a scathing indictment of Mahendra, accusing him of betraying the trust of the Rajbhar community.

“We sent him to the Vidhan Sabha and even the Lok Sabha, but instead of working for the welfare of the Rajbhar samaj, he is busy promoting his own family,” he declared, adding that “many such leaders are cheating and looting the society.”

Following the incident, Mahendra Rajbhar lodged a formal complaint with local police authorities, alleging that the physical assault was not an isolated act of personal vengeance but part of a larger political conspiracy, orchestrated, he claims, by Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar.

The accusation has brought renewed attention to the longstanding rivalry between Mahendra and his former political ally.

Mahendra Rajbhar was once a trusted lieutenant of OP Rajbhar and held the position of national vice-president of SBSP. In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, he was fielded as a candidate from the BJP-SBSP alliance, challenging high-profile contenders such as gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari.

However, by 2019, Mahendra had severed ties with the SBSP, citing fundamental ideological differences and accusing OP Rajbhar of using the party machinery for personal enrichment at the cost of community welfare.

Following his departure, Mahendra launched his own outfit—the Suheldev Swabhiman Party—and aligned himself with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2022 state elections, in which he emerged victorious.

The public altercation has drawn widespread condemnation across the political spectrum. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav strongly criticized the incident, interpreting it as symptomatic of the broader pattern of suppression and injustice faced by marginalized communities under the BJP-led administration.

Reaffirming his party’s commitment to protecting the rights of the PDA—an acronym Yadav uses to collectively refer to Pichhde (backward castes), Dalits, and Alpsankhyak (minorities)—he called for immediate and stringent legal action against those responsible for the assault.

Yadav also alleged that the attack may have been carried out at the behest of or with the tacit support of BJP allies, further politicizing the matter.

As the video continues to circulate widely online, public discourse around the incident is intensifying, with many questioning the growing intra-party friction, the erosion of political decorum, and the vulnerability of leaders—even seasoned ones like Mahendra Rajbhar—to sudden, orchestrated public attacks.

Meanwhile, police authorities have stated that they are investigating the matter, and further legal action will follow based on the evidence gathered.

This episode, while disturbing, is emblematic of the volatile political rivalries in Uttar Pradesh—where allegiances shift, factions fracture, and personal ambitions often override party ideologies.

As the state gears up for future electoral contests, such incidents may serve as a reminder of the deep-rooted factionalism and heightened stakes that define its political theatre.