LUCKNOW: The shoe assault on party
MLA Rakesh Singh by Sant Kabirnagar MP Sharad Tripathi may cost him ticket for coming Lok Sabha election as a viral video of the incident left BJP brass severely embarrassed.
Top BJP leadership is miffed and said to have indicated that ‘strict disciplinary’ action was very much on the anvil for Tripathi, who took off his shoe and hit Singh many times in full public view during a district level review meeting at Sant Kabirnagar collectorate on Wednesday. Strict action may follow also since BJP wants to prevent the incident from blowing into a Thakur versus Brahmin conflict and impact party’s prospects in Sant Kabirnagar and other east UP constituencies.
While Tripathi is son of former UP BJP chief Ramapati Ram Tripathi, Singh has been a key member of Hindu Yuva Vahini founded by CM Yogi Adityanath, who has been left red-faced.
The party leadership has summoned both Tripathi and Singh to Lucknow to meet UP BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey. Party sources said that the incident has escalated to top level with BJP chief Amit Shah having taken cognizance and expressed strong displeasure.
BJP leadership has also sought a report from minister in charge of Sant Kabirnagar, Ashutosh Tandon, who was present at the district coordination committee meeting when a verbal duel ensued between Tripathi and Singh when the former objected to his name being left out of development project plaques.
“The matter is being sorted out though it has dented party’s image and left leadership in discomfiture. The possibility of Tripathi being denied ticket looms large,” said a senior BJP leader, not wishing to be quoted.
When contacted, UP BJP spokesperson, Harish Chandra Srivastava said that BJP has image of being a disciplined party. “That image suffered a dent because of the incident. Party leadership will surely take some action,” he told TOI.
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A journalist with over 20 years of experience. Currently, covers ...
Read MoreA journalist with over 20 years of experience. Currently, covers politics and governance with special focus on BJP, RSS, agriculture and rural development in Uttar Pradesh. He has covered assembly and parliamentary elections extensively since 2007. His hobbies include reading, travelling and music.
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