Revolt amongst BJP workers in Amethi for poor candidate selection

LUCKNOW: BJP workers in Amethi district are up in arms against the party for its poor candidate selection. BJP has dropped two party loyalists from its candidate, triggering mass protests.

On Friday, party workers burnt Union minister Smriti Irani in effigy, holding her responsible.

The loudest protests are in Gauriganj constituency, where BJP dropped four-time MLA Tejbhan Singh, 72.

An RSS pracharak since 1977, Singh has contested for BJP from Gauriganj since 1980. This time, he has been edged out to accommodate Uma Shankar Pandey, a local RSS worker who had served as Irani's election agent in Amethi when she contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls against Rahul Gandhi.

Protests in Gauriganj have turned violent. Nearly 250 office bearers of the local BJP unit in Amethi have refused to help Pandey and 392 booth presidents have tendered resignations.

Amethi BJP spokesperson, Govind Singh Chauhan, said, “This public anger may affect our prospects in neighbouring assemblies too.“

Unlike in Amethi seat, where BJP rebel Ashish Shukla is planning to contest as an independent against Rani Garima Sinh, Tejbhan said he was deeply disappointed but won't contest as a rebel.

“I didn't peddle myself to anyone. From Rajnath Singh to Kalraj Mishra and Kalyan Singh, the entire old guard in BJP knows me. But these days outsiders like (Om) Mathur, (Sunil) Bansal and (Keshav Prasad) Maurya are in charge,“ Singh said. He said Irani called him to clarify she had nothing to do with the developments.

In Lucknow, workers protested against BJP's move to field BSP turncoat Ashok Chandel from Hamirpur seat.

In Varanasi, BJP workers opposed the distribution of tickets in Varanasi Cantt and Varanasi South seats. Party activists questioned the candidature of Sau rabh Srivastava, the son of sitting MLA Jyotsana Srivastava, from Cantt.
​
Workers also heckled BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya and UP in-charge Om Mathur, raising slogans of 'parivarvad nahi chalega' and `wapas jao'. Mathur said there will be no change in ticket distribution.