UP panchayat elections: Jolt for BJP in PM Narendra Modi’s Varanasi, for Congress in Rahul Gandhi’s Amethi

LUCKNOW/VARANASI: As the results of the first round of panchayat elections trickled in on Monday, two key Lok Sabha constituencies, Varanasi and Amethi, sent ominous signs to the BJP and the Congress.

While BJP was leading in just nine out of the 48 seats of zila panchayat in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, Congress was yet to open its account in Amethi, the pocket borough of the Gandhi family represented by party vice president Rahul Gandhi.

In midst of their setbacks, debutante All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won four zila panchayat seats, one each in Azamgarh and Muzaffarnagar, and two in Balrampur. Of the four winning candidates, two are Hindus and two Muslims.

BJP's poor show in the PM's constituency looked grimmer in light of the defeat of party-backed candidate in district panchayat seat comprising Jayapur village, adopted by Modi. The only solace for the saffron party was that two of its candidates for block development council (BDC) membership won from two wards of this model village.

The first round of panchayat elections held over four phases last month were to elect members of district and kshetra panchayat. While BJP and Congress declared the list of candidates supported by them, SP and BSP refrained from doing so.

In Amethi, out of eight results so far, five claimed SP's support while three were reportedly backed by the BSP. None of the Congress-backed candidates won.

Jayapur village falls under Arazline block which has seven sectors. BJP-supported candidates for district panchayat lost in all. From sector-V, which covers 18 villages including Jayapur, BJP candidate Arun Singh alias Rinku lost to Ramesh Tiwari alias Guddu Tiwari, who reportedly had BSP's support.

Rinku's selection was controversial for his criminal background. According to Mirzamurad police 12 criminal cases, including three of murder, are registered against him. He was also booked under the Gangster and Goonda Acts and jailed. When BJP leaders were asked about his candidature, they said he had joined the party recently and they were not aware about his criminal history.

Stung by the defeat in VIP constituency, BJP district chief Nagendra Raghuvanshi said, "The results notwithstanding, BJP's performance in all villages is a positive sign. The party contested panchayat polls in rural areas for the first time. This move enabled us to create cadre in all the villages and increased reach to all booths."