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Khatauli by-poll: Denied ticket, RLD leader joins BJP
RLD leader Abhishek accused the party high command of ignoring local leaders and imposing an outsider candidate on them.
MEERUT Annoyed with the party’s decision to field Gurjar leader and former MLA Madan Bhaiya in the Khatauli by-election, Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) spokesperson and Gurjar leader Abhishek Gurjar quit the party and joined the BJP in Lucknow on Tuesday night.
Speaking to HT on phone, Abhishek accused the party high command of ignoring local leaders and imposing an outsider candidate on them. “I dedicatedly served the party for over eight years and at the time of giving ticket, they preferred an outsider,” said Abhishek, explaining the reason for quitting the party and joining the BJP. He said that he would work for the BJP candidate in the constituency. The BJP has fielded its disqualified MLA Vikram Saini’s wife Rajkumari Saini against RLD-SP alliance candidate Madan Bhaiya.
The MP/ MLA court in Muzaffarnagar had awarded two years’ punishment to BJP MLA Vikram Saini on October 11 in a case of violence in Kawal village in 2013 and his Khatauli seat was declared vacant after his disqualification.
Abhishek Gurjar had formed a committee of 11 people to seek opinion about what to do after the party denied him ticket. The committee members, however, claimed that they were with the RLD-SP alliance candidate.
Abhishek had joined the RLD 8 years ago after quitting the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and he was hopeful of getting a ticket in the by-election.
RLD’s west UP president Yogendra Singh said that leaders switching loyalties during election season was a common phenomenon. “There were many leaders seeking the ticket which could be given to only one person. It’s the prerogative of the party high command and we should honour this decision,” he said.
Meanwhile, alliance candidate Madan Bhaiya filed his nomination on Wednesday. The polling on this seat will be held on December 5 and the result would be declared on December 8.
