LUCKNOW, July 11 -- Over a fortnight after their expulsion from the Samajwadi Party on June 23 on the charge of cross-voting during the 2024 Rajya Sabha elections and campaigning for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls later the same year, three rebel SP MLAs were declared unattached members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly by the speaker on Thursday.

The move sparked speculation in political circles on whether the rebels will get berths in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet or important posts in state government bodies.

After becoming unattached members, the trio -- Manoj Pandey from Unchhahar (Rae Bareli) , Rakesh Pratap Singh from Gauriganj (Amethi) and Abhay Singh from Goshainganj (Ayodhya) -- are free to support the BJP on the floor o...