Workers upset over missing Varun Gandhi

BJP’s leader and a member of Parliament Varun Gandhi, who is among the saffron party’s 40 star campaigners for the third and fourth phases of polling in Uttar Pradesh, is conspicuous by his absence in not only his own constituency Sultanpur, but in the state as well, workers have alleged.

The BJP workers wonder whether Gandhi himself has decided to keep away from his constituency or has been kept away by the party leadership.

Omprakash Pandey Bajrangi, his representative in the district, is also desperately waiting for Gandhi to come and spur his prospects in the ongoing assembly polls. Bajrangi is contesting as the BJP candidate from Isauli assembly constituency.

“Workers are agitated (over Gandhi’s absence). They pour out their anger at us. We have to listen to them,” Satyaprakash Pandey, a BJP leader and Bajrangi’s brother, said. However, he sought to play down the issue.

“He is a national leader. It’s the party which decides his programmes. He cannot decide on his own. His presence will definitely give a boost to the morale of the party workers,” Bajrangi told HT. Five of the assembly constituencies in Sultanpur go to polls on February 27 in the fifth of the seven-phased elections.

Gandhi, a two-time young MP, has been out of favour with the party leadership, but his influence in seats going to poll in the third and fourth phases of polling in the state forced the party to bring him back for campaigning.

When contacted Gandhi said, “Let’s see, there is a lot of time still left and I think these things will be worked out in the next couple of days.”

BJP workers say the MP is yet to meet the aspirations of the district. Vallipur village, on the city outskirts, that has been adopted by the member of Parliament stands a testimony to the allegations. Dirt, filth and garbage can be seen strewn around the village with many thatched houses.

Villagers said the absence of a proper drainage system leads to water logging. During rains, one of the segments is cut off from others as there is no pucca road. Unemployment is another concern. A training centre run under Jan Shikshan Sansthan has not been functioning for the past two months. Locals also complained the toilets built for them were of poor quality. Dropout of children from schools is another issue.

Let’s see, there is a lot of time still left and I think these things will be worked out in the next couple of days VARUN GANDHI, BJP leader