BJP claims 'historic victory' in UP local body elections amid wide spread violence

Lucknow: As opposition parties including congress has alleged violence and misbehaviour with women during the filing nominations for block panchayat chiefs, BJP on Saturday claimed victory on 635 of the total 825 seats in Uttar Pradesh local bodies elections. The elections were held amid scattered incidents of violence with the opposition alleging misuse of official machinery by the ruling party.

While Former Congress head Rahul Gandhi said violence has been renamed "masterstroke" in the state, the grand old party's general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra alleged that the BJP had "crossed" all limits to stop the nomination of a woman in the polls and also posted a video purportedly showing a woman being stopped from filing her nomination in the polls in Twitter.

In a statement, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the BJP had "forcibly" captured the posts of block chiefs with the help of government machinery and called it an insult of the mandate. He also alleged that candidates were "abducted openly" and those opposing these tactics were being harassed. The former chief minister added that his party had given a memorandum to the state Election Commissioner about malpractices and rigging, but no action was taken.

Hitting out at the BJP government, BSP chief Mayawati alleged that "jungle raj is prevailing" in the state. "There has been widespread violence in the panchayat polls, and there was indecent behaviour with a woman in Lakhimpur Kheri."

According a PTI report, the brother-in-law of a block development committee member was killed in Bahraich as he resisted an alleged attempt to abduct his relative by a BJP candidate's husband and supporters ahead of the polls for the block panchayat head.

In another incident in Lakhimpur Kheri, a Samajwadi Party candidate was allegedly manhandled by BJP workers, after which six policemen were suspended and the administration ordered a magisterial probe.

A woman BDC member's saree was also pulled in front of police officers, alleged the Congress and sought an apology from the state government.

According to a report from Sonbhadra, after the election of the BJP candidate in Nagwan block, SP workers alleged rigging in the counting and created a ruckus in which policemen including a Circle Officer and a former chairman of Robertsganj Municipality were injured. Some vehicles were also damaged by the miscreants.

Superintendent of Police, Sonbhadra, Amarendra Prasad Singh said that in Nagwan block after BJP candidate Alok Singh was declared the winner, SP workers started protesting and pelted stones when police tried to clear the area, prompting the cops to lathi-charge.

CO Sadar Ashish Mishra and a policeman were injured in this incident, he said.

In Hathras, a Samajwadi Party leader was injured after being shot. In Chandauli district, BJP and Samajwadi workers clashed, with incidents of stone-throwing and motorcycles being vandalised. The police had to use sticks to beat back the fighting political workers.

Similar incidents were reported in at least 17 districts including Etawah, Ayodhya, Prayagraj, Aligarh, Pratapgarh, Sonbhadra districts. In Aligarh, a BJP leader was seen in a video yelling at a magistrate. The police and the administration have been slammed for failing to stop the violence that erupted long before voting day.

According to state police, clashes and other untoward incidents were reported from 17 districts during the election process and orders have been issued to respective district police heads to take strict action against those responsible for it.

Victory processions have not been allowed and officials were keeping a strict eye on the situation, the state police said in a statement.

Polling for the 476 posts of block panchayat chiefs was held from 11 AM to 3 PM on Saturday, following which counting of votes had commenced.

According to State Election Commissioner Manoj Kumar atotal of 349 candidates for the block panchayat chief posts were elected unopposed on Friday, the last day for the withdrawal of nomination papers. A spokesman of the Commission said that counting had been completed at most of the places, it was still continuing in some places and the results were expected late in the night

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held a press conference at the BJP headquarter and claimed victory on 635 seats, where counting had been completed, and attributed the success to the teamwork of the government and party organisation.

Adityanath also praised the State Election Commission for conducting peaceful and fair elections. The opposition parties, however, has already accused the BJP government of misusing official machinery in the elections and unleashing anarchy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other top BJP leaders has congratulated the state unit for the performance.

The panchayat election results are an important morale-booster for the BJP ahead of assembly polls next year in the politically crucial state as it had drawn a lot of flak over its handling of the COVID19 pandemic.

A total of 1,778 nomination papers were received for 825 posts of the block panchayat chiefs, of which 68 were cancelled and 187 withdrawn. A total of 1,710 candidates were left in the fray for the elections held on Saturday.

Earlier this week, the BJP had clinched a massive victory in another set of local body elections in Uttar Pradesh, in a big setback for Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party. The BJP took 67 seats in the zila panchayat chairperson election where 75 seats were at stake. Mr Yadav's party won only five seats.