Uttar Pradesh: BJP’s candidate selection woes fester in Gauriganj

BJP party workers in the Amethi-Gauriganj belt are wondering why Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani is not campaigning in the area. Irani had run as the BJP candidate in Amethi in 2014 and has been nurturing the constituency for last three years, despite losing to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. Party workers claim that she is excluding Gauriganj from her election itinerary, due to to an unpopular choice of candidate. BJP has fielded Uma Shankar Pandey, Irani’s one time polling agent and now the district president of the party, in the Gauriganj seat in Amethi district. Party workers had protested when he was given the ticket, burning effigies. Several workers had also quit the party.

This reporter had a chance meeting with local BJP leaders at a dhaba on the Amethi-Gauriganj road. Among them was Tej Bhan, a former legislator who lost narrowly in 2012, denied a ticket this time. “Galat candidate ko Gauriganj se ticket mil gaya (The wrong man got ticket from Gauriganj),” one of the leaders said, adding that “We are not supporting that candidate.”

“People of this area are fed up with the Samajwadi Party legislator Rakesh Pratap Singh. People want to support the BJP. But the problem is our candidate is weak,” said another leader, who claimed to be an office-bearer of the party district unit.

Referring to Irani, a leader said, “She has not addressed a single meeting in Gauriganj. Why? There has to be some reason,” he said.

A local Congress leader claimed that “BJP has given a walkover to SP by not giving the ticket to Tej Bhan.”

Gauriganj votes on February 27.