In a seeming crack in the Opposition ranks in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Presidential election, Om Prakash Rajbhar, a key ally of Samajwadi Party, on Friday evening attended a dinner hosted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in honour of NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu in Lucknow.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav’s uncle and party MLA, Shivpal Yadav, also attended the dinner held at the CM’s official residence.

Notably, a day ago, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Rajbhar did not attend a press conference held by Akhilesh Yadav and RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary in support of Yashwant Sinha, the joint candidate of the Opposition parties for the presidential poll. Rajbhar had claimed that he was not invited to the press meet.

Rajbhar's presence at the CM’s dinner for Murmu came hours after he told mediapersons that he was “waiting for divorce from the SP”. “I will not initiate any step to end the alliance with the SP. I will wait to be divorced (talaq) by Akhilesh Yadav," Rajbhar told PTI before leaving for his party meeting in neighbouring Mau district.

Rajbhar also said he is "still with the Samajwadi Party, but will not remain together forcefully if Akhilesh Yadav doesn't want it."

On skipping the meeting with Yashwant Sinha in Lucknow on Thursday, he said: "Akhilesh Yadav might have forgotten about me, so he didn't call me."

Rajbhar, whose party has six members in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, said he will announce his decision on supporting the Presidential candidate on July 12.

(With inputs from agencies)