Angry over candidate's selection, BJP workers hold party leaders hostage

FAIZABAD (UP): High drama was witnessed at BJP district office here when a group of workers, angry over ticket being given to an "outsider" from Ayodhya Assembly seat, tied with ropes local MP Lallu Singh and party unit chief Awadhesh Pandey and held them hostage for about two hours.

BJP had given ticket to Ved Gupta, who had recently joined the party from BSP, from Ayodhya Assembly constituency.

The two leaders were released after two hours after they got assurance that their demand would be put before the party's state leadership.

"BJP workers had been demanding that the party should field a candidate from the cadre, and were treating Gupta as outsider. They were angry over the top BJP leadership's this decision (to field Gupta). I and Singh had gone to the party office pacify them, but they held us hostage," Pandey said.

We have promised them that we will put their demands before the state leadership, he added.

"Our top leadership has selected Gupta as a candidate, however, we will try to explain our workers to accept the decision from heart," he said.

Gupta, a treader leader started his political career from Congress in early 80s but joined BJP in late 80s and was active in demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992.

He later joined Samajwadi Party in 2002 and contested Assembly elections from Ayodhya.

In 2012, he joined BSP and again contested election from the seat as BSP candidate.

Last year he joined BJP and was successful in getting BJP ticket from Ayodhya. P