E-Paper
Ahead of bypolls, BSP ex-MLA joins BJP
The Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh received a jolt ahead of the by-election on the Gangoh seat in Saharanpur when party`s former MLA Ravindra Molhu, considered
The Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh received a jolt ahead of the by-election on the Gangoh seat in Saharanpur when party`s former MLA Ravindra Molhu, considered close to BSP chief Mayawati, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with his supporters and some other party leaders in Lucknow on Wednesday.
Party`s Saharanpur district president Rishipal Gautam and president of Gangoh Dharmendra Gautam were also among those who joined the BJP.
Rishipal Gautam accused the party co-ordinators of disrespecting workers and said that and demand for money prompted him to leave the party.
BSP`s state president Munkad Ali refused to comment and said, ‘I can say anything only after seeking inputs and reasons behind it’.
Molhu said he was feeling suffocated in the party.
BJP leader Pradeep Choudhary was MLA from Gangoh and the Gangoh seat became vacant after his victory on Kairana Lok Sabha seat. By-election is scheduled on October 21 for which BJP has fielded Keerat Singh, who will take on the SP candidate Indrasen, Congress candidate Noman Masood and BSP`s Irshad.
Votes of Dalits, Muslims and Gurjars are decisive on Gangoh constituency and the BJP is likely to benefit from a strong dalit leader like Molhu joining the party ahead of the election. Molhu represented Rampur Maniharan constituency of the district in state Assembly for two consecutive terms, 2007 to 2012 and 2012 to 2017. He lost in 2017 to BJP’s Devendra Singh Nim by a thin margin of 595 votes.
Leaders of Rajput Sangh had lodged a case against him for provoking a crowed which torched Maharana Pratap Bhawan in the district in May 2017. Molhu had accused the then BJP MP of Saharanpur Raghav Lakhanpal of sparking violence in the district and had opened front against him with support of Bheem Army.
