Ex-BJP MLAs face bulldozer heat in UP

Former BJP MLAs who had crossed over to the Samajwadi Party on the eve of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, are now facing the heat.

Revenue officials recently paid a visit to Roshan Lal Varma, who had crossed over to the Samajwadi Party along with former minister Swami Prasad Maurya.

Revenue officials surveyed a building owned by his family to detect a possible violation of the building bylaws.

Tilhar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Himanshu Upadhyay told reporters that following complaints against the former MLA, a team of revenue officials were sent to take measurement of the building.

Terming the official action a "conspiracy" at the behest of his local opponents, Verma said he hopes for justice from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Verma said the building which was surveyed belongs to his daughter-in-law and that the action has been initiated under the influence of local BJP leaders, owing to political rivalry.

"The land was purchased in 2010 and is registered in the name of my daughter-in-law Ruchi Verma. I myself want the measurement to be taken as per the provisions of the law. I have full faith in Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and, I hope, he will get an impartial probe conducted," Verma said.

Another BJP MLA who joined the SP before elections, Brijesh Prajapati, has also been served a notice by the Banda Development Authority (BDA) asking him to explain the illegal construction of his house.

He has been asked to vacate and demolish the illegal construction on his own within 15 days, failing which the same will be demolished by BDA and he will have to bear the cost.

Prajapati was BJP MLA from 2017 to 2022 but lost the elections this time when he contested on a SP ticket.

Notably, a petrol pump owned by SP's Bhojipura MLA Shazil Islam Ansari was razed in Bareilly district earlier this month.