Signs of Sengar’s sway
LUCKNOW: Political influence, hold over the local electorate and the upper-caste vote appear to be the reasons why BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is accused of raping a minor in Unnao, has evaded arrest.
According to a senior party leader familiar with the developments who didn’t wish to be named, said the decision on Sengar’s fate was taken during a meeting of BJP chief Amit Shah with the MLAs at the residence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday.
“Several MLAs opposed the arrest of Sengar. They said he played a crucial role in the victory of the BJP on a number of seats, including Bhagwant Nagar represented by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Hriday Narayan Dikshit, in 2017 assembly election. He again played a key role in ensuring cross-voting by BSP MLA Anil Kumar Singh in support of the BJP candidate,” the leader said.
He said Sengar would be crucial in the legislative council elections on April 26.
“In view of the SP-BSP alliance in the election, every vote will be crucial for the BJP. In Rajya Sabha election, two incarcerated MLAs – Mukhtar Ansari (BSP) and Hari Om Yadav (Samajwadi Party) – were not granted permission to vote. The same rule will apply on Sengar once he is behind bars,” the BJP leader said. Another senior MLA claimed on the condition of anonymity that Sengar was very influential and the four-time MLA has exceptional hold over the Unnao region, underlining this as the reason why six MLAs met Adityanath on Wednesday claiming the MLA was framed.
“Sengar hails from upper caste and has the capacity of influencing results on seats falling
SENGAR IS A FOURTIME MLA AND HAS REPRESENTED SP, BSP AND THE BJP.
in his region. His influence and muscle power will be required by the BJP to win Unnao seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
An 15-year-old woman has alleged the MLA raped her on June 4 last year, and that his brother and aides attacked her father on April 3. The father died of injuries inside jail earlier this week.
Sengar’s arrest appeared imminent late on Wednesday evening after pressure mounted on the state government but he was told he will be contacted if needed. Since then, a First Information Report has been filed against him.
But despite opposition criticism, the BJP has remained defiant. “Request all to not play the judge. The case has been referred to the CBI. Let’s have some patience and don’t jump to conclusions,” UP BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said. BJP leaders Deepti Bharadwaj and IP Singh have also opened criticised the government and said the attitude of the government had tarnished the image of the party.
Sengar is a four-time MLA. In 2002, he contested assembly election as a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate from Unnao Sadar constituency and emerged victorious.
He joined the Samajwadi Party (SP) in 2007 and won from Bangarmau assembly seat. Kuldeep changed his seat to Bhagwant Nagar in Unnao in 2012 and contested election as a Samajwadi Party candidate. Before the 2017 assembly election, he joined the BJP and once again won from Bangarmau seat.