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UP polls: Nadda accompanies Keshav Prasad Maurya for nomination, praises him
Nadda and Union minister of state Anupriya Patel, who heads the Apna Dal (S), were with Keshav Prasad Maurya when he filed his second set of papers for the UP polls
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda accompanied Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya when the latter filed his nomination papers for the Sirathu assembly seat in Kaushambi district for the UP polls on Thursday and later praised him.
Nadda and Union minister of state Anupriya Patel, who heads the Apna Dal (S), were with Keshav Prasad Maurya when he filed his second set of papers for the UP polls. For the first set, Keshav Prasad Maurya was accompanied by sitting BJP MLA from Sirathu Sheetla Prasad and the party’s district president Anita Tripathi.
After the nominations, the senior BJP leaders, along with the party’s state election in-charge and Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Allahabad MP Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Kaushambi MP Vinod Sonkar attended a public meeting.
Nadda said, “I am here with the blessings of crores of BJP supporters and the party will again form the government. The efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide the best of benefits to the state have been implemented well by Keshav Prasad Maurya and the state government.”
Praising Keshav Prasad Maurya, Nadda further said, “Keshav Prasad Maurya ji would take the BJP to newer heights after winning from Sirathu. He comes from an average family and hence knows the plight of the poor. His victory would be a victory for development. Already, because of him much development has happened here. A 50-bed hospital is coming up, an oxygen plant has been set up and so much more has been planned for Sirathu.”
The BJP chief also said, “Today, people have to decide if they want to support those who had opposed the Ram temple at Ayodhya, were against the scrapping of Article 370, or those who work tirelessly for the country and its people. The SP, Congress and the BSP hurt the religious sentiments of the people while the BJP, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is standing up for development as well as for cultural heritage.”
When asked about her presence at Keshav Prasad Maurya’s nomination, Anupriya Patel said the BJP and its two allies, Apna Dal (Sonelal) and Nishad party, were firmly behind Keshav Prasad Maurya and would ensure that he wins by a handsome margin.
“We all are rooting for Keshav ji and will ensure that he wins,” Anupriya said.
Anupriya’s sister Pallavi Patel has been named by Samajwadi Party as its candidate against Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Greeted with shower of petals as he arrived for the nomination, deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya later travelled in a motorised chariot with BJP and Apna Dal leaders.
Keshav Prasad Maurya repeated that Pallavi was like his sister.
“She is like my sister and each is free to contes against anyone. But, then Sirathu is my birthplace and naturally, I have an emotional attachment with the place and its people. So, any opponent of mine is welcome to contest but I don’t think anyone else has any chance here because the people are fighting my election and it is they who would ensure a grand win,” he said with a smile.
Prior to reaching the collectorate, the deputy CM visited the Kadadham temple of Kaushambi district and worshiped Goddess Sheetla. Earlier, Maurya expressed confidence that BJP will win the assembly elections even if the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj the Party (BSP) and Congress come together.
Prayagraj, Kaushambi and Pratapgarh districts have a total of assembly 22 seats. February 8 is the last date for the filing of nominations here. The fifth phase of polling will be held on February 27.
Among others, Samajwadi Party (SP) national general secretary Indrajeet Saroj filed his nomination papers for the Manjhanpur seat in Kaushambi. Three other SP candidates filed their nominations in Prayagraj. They included Geeta Pasi from Soraon, former MLA Mujtaba Siddiqui from Phulpur and Sandeep Patel from Meja.
The Bahujan Samaj Party’s Sanjay Goswami filed his nomination papers from the Allahabad North seat.
A total of 10 nominations were filed in Prayagraj and four in Kaushambi on Thursday.
Earlier on Wednesday, BSP’s Ghanshyam Pandey had filed his nomination from Pratappur seat and Sarvesh Chandra Tiwari did so from Meja in Prayagraj.
