Suspense over BJP’s ticket to Varun, even as SP sends feelers
The announcement by Varun Gandhi’s supporters that he will contest the Lok Sabha election from Pilibhit seat as an independent candidate if the BJP denies him ticket has caused unease in the BJP camp. However, a close aide of Varun Gandhi working in Pilibhit constituency said the seat would remain within the family and the BJP would give ticket to Varun or his mother Maneka Gandhi.
Lucknow: Uncertainty prevails over sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi getting the party ticket once again, even as the filing of nomination papers commenced on the seat after the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued notification on Wednesday for the first phase election on eight Lok Sabha seats in UP, including Pilibhit.
To note, the BJP has so far released two lists of candidates but is yet to decide a candidate for Pilibhit. On the other hand, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav added fuel to the fire, announcing that the SP would take a call on ticket to Varun if the BJP did not field him. SP national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said on Wednesday the SP would give ticket to Varun Gandhi if the BJP did not.
On Wednesday late evening, SP announced Bhagwat Sharan Gangwar as party candidate from Pilibhit seat. “Though the SP has announced a candidate from Pilibhit, the doors are still open for Varun Gandhi. If he wishes to contest the LS election on SP ticket, the party will accommodate him,” said an SP leader.
The announcement by Varun Gandhi’s supporters that he will contest the Lok Sabha election from Pilibhit seat as an independent candidate if the BJP denies him ticket has caused unease in the BJP camp. However, a close aide of Varun Gandhi working in Pilibhit constituency said the seat would remain within the family and the BJP would give ticket to Varun or his mother Maneka Gandhi.
On Wednesday, Varun Gandhi’s representative MR Malik purchased four sets of nomination papers for the Pilibhit seat. He told media persons that Varun Gandhi would be the BJP candidate from Pilibhit seat. On the directions of Varun Gandhi, he had purchased four sets of nomination papers, he said.
A two-term MP from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat (2009 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections) and one term from Sultanpur Lok Sabha set (2014 LS election), Varun Gandhi has been in the limelight for raising the issues of farmers, unemployment and youths, going against the party line. He was also critical of suspension of licence of Sanjay Gandhi hospital in Amethi. However, as the Lok Sabha elections approached, he changed his stance on the party and its policies. He also attended the Amrit Bharat Station scheme launch in Pilibhit.
The BJP has released two lists of candidates for the Lok Sabha seats in various states. The first list of 195 candidates had 51 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and majority of sitting MPs was repeated. The delay in the announcement of the candidates on the remaining 29 Lok Sabha seats has added to the uncertainty. The BJP skipped 29 Lok Sabha seats in UP in the second list of 72 candidates released on March 13.
The BJP core committee in its meeting on March 18 mulled over the probable candidates on remaining seats in Uttar Pradesh. Chief minister Yogi Aditynath also attended the meeting held in New Delhi. Among the 29 seats, five seats are likely to be allotted to the alliance partners- RLD, Apna Dal (S) and SBSP. “The suspense over 24 seats, including Pilibhit, is likely to be over by Thursday when the third list of the candidates will be released by the party”, said a BJP leader.
The names of PWD minister Jitin Prasad and minister of state, sugarcane development and sugar mills, Sanjay Singh Gangwar (who represents Pilibhit seat in the legislative assembly) are also in circulation for Pilibhit seat. But the BJP leadership is conscious of the hold of Varun Gandhi and his mother Maneka Gandhi who represented Pilibhit in the Lok Sabha for six terms and wield considerable influence in the constituency, particularly among the Sikh farmers and the OBC.
“Varun has been active in the constituency, holding meetings, launching relief work during floods and monitoring the launch of development projects. The party leadership has taken feedback from the state organization as well as party leaders from the constituency and it might not risk uncertainty over a crucial seat when the PM has set the target of 80 out of 80 seats in UP,” a BJP leader said.
A fire brand leader, Varun won the 2009 Lok Sabha election from Pilibhit defeating his nearest rival VM Singh of the Congress by margin of over 2.80 lakh vote. He won the 2019 Lok Sabha election defeating SP candidate Hemraj Verma by a margin of over 2.50 lakh votes.
The last date for filing nominations in the eight Lok Sabha seats, including Pilibhit, is March 27 and scrutiny will be done on March 28. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 30.The polling will be held on April 19. The counting of votes in all the constituencies of Uttar Pradesh will be done on June 4.