A blow to Rajbhar, Chauhan’s ministerial aspirations?
Rajbhar often gave the indication that he, along with Chauhan, was likely to be inducted as minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.
The Samajwadi Party candidate’s victory in the Ghosi assembly bypoll may deal a blow to the ministerial aspirations of BJP candidate Dara Singh Chauhan and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar who was a key campaigner for Chauhan.
Rajbhar often gave the indication that he, along with Chauhan, was likely to be inducted as minister in the Yogi Adityanath government.
His aspirations ran high ever since the SBSP was made a partner of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner and Chauhan was re-inducted into the BJP following his resignation as SP MLA.
Senior BJP leaders insisted that the Ghosi by-election was not contested on any issues concerning the BJP governments in the state or at the Centre.
The BJP leaders asserted that the Ghosi by-election was contested between the SP candidate Sudhakar Singh and Dara Singh Chauhan instead of being an I.N.D.I.A. vs NDA, or even BJP vs SP election.
“The Ghosi by-election was contested on local and personal issues. This was not an election between political parties or the alliances. The BJP does not promise any official position when leaders from other parties join or align with the party. So, we cannot say anything about the ministerial aspirations of the two leaders,” said a senior BJP leader.
Rajbhar was not available for comment. In his initial reaction to the Ghosi poll outcome to newspersons, he appeared disappointed and said the leaders of opposition parties would not be able to blame or question the EVMs for the poll results now onwards.
Uttar Pradesh BJP vice-president Vijay Pathak said the BJP would study and analyse the poll results.
“We will scrutinise the poll result and take corrective measures accordingly thereafter,” he said.
Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary said the poll outcome would have adverse impact on the BJP and its alliance partners.
Asked to comment on the ministerial aspirations of Rajbhar and Chauhan, he said “…how can it (the BJP government) assure any future to Rajbhar or Dara Singh Chauhan?”
