The first list of candidates announced by Bharatiya Janata Party has sparked protest with workers alleging that leadership has given preference to outsiders ignoring loyalists in ticket distribution.
In many parts of state including Kassganj and Saharanpur workers burnt the party flag alleging that leadership has preferred outsiders in ticket distribution. In Saharanpur district party president Vijendra Kashyap unfurled a banner of revolt against the party saying four tickets in the district were given to the turncoats of BSP and Congress. “The workers who shed sweat and blood for the party were ignored,” he said. Kashyap was seeking ticket from Saharanpur rural along with 7 others but was denied. The BJP has given Behat, Nakur, Saharanpur rural and Ganghoh to the party hoppers.
In Kassganj workers set aflame the effigy of Rajbir Singh, son of Kalyan Singh and party MP. They staged protest outside party office and set party flag on fire. Workers alleged that leadership has given ticket to kalian Singh loyalists. They took out a rally carrying black flag. Similar protests were reported from Patiyali. where leaders alleged that four out of five seats have been given to lodhs. These seats are Etah, Maarhara, Kaasganj and Amapur while in Patiyali BJP has given ticket to a Shakya candidate. There are reports about some high profile BJP leaders were unhappy with ticket distribution i which led to the initial delay in the announcement of candidates. According to sources the delay was because the party could not decide the seat for Pankaj Singh, son of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
The source suggested Pankaj Singh wanted to contest from either the Noida or Sahibabad seats, but the party offered him Mirzapur or Mat in Mathura instead, on considerations of ‘winnability’. But it’s not just the old-timers, even those who changed parties are said to be unhappy. New entrant Swami Prasad Maurya, the former BSP leader of Opposition in the UP assembly who ditched the BSP to join the BJP, is reported to be upset with ticket distribution. His expectations of getting 25-30 tickets for his supporters have been dashed.