BJP's prestigious Ayodhya seat being given special attention

Ayodhya, Feb 22 The incumbent BJP MLA from the prestigious seat of Ayodhya which goes to the polls in the fifth phase, is facing a rebellion within the party. Sources say that the BJP is working hard to fix the problem before polling. Senior leaders have taken cognisance of the matter and have despatched a team to resolve the issue.

Sources say that Mayor Rishikesh Upadhyay was seeking a ticket from the party but was denied it as BJP opted for the sitting MLA. The party is apprehensive about the supporters of the Mayor who are said to be upset. The seat has a large number of Brahmin votes, and the SP candidate Tej Narain Pandey, an ex-MLA, is from the community so the BJP fears a backlash from the community. However, no BJP leader is willing to speak on record on the issue but say that ultimately the party workers will support the party as the battle is ideological.

The Brahmin leaders of the party have been asked to campaign for the seat. Ved Prakash Gupta is the BJP MLA who won in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election defeating Tej Narayan Pandey by a margin of 50,440 votes.

The party leaders say that there is no worry as Ayodhya has been the stronghold of the party in the past except on a few occasions. Party Awadh in-charge Satya Kumar said, "the seat is prestigious and the BJP will win comfortably."

Political analyst Anil Singh feels that the displacement of locals due to the state government projects is a big issue which the SP wants to capitalise upon. The SP had won this seat in 2012, but from 1991 to 2007 Laloo Singh from the BJP was the MLA. In 1989 the Janata Dal candidate was elected the MLA. Before that in 1980 and 1984 the Congress candidate won the seat but since 1989 the Congress could not open its account though it won the 2009 parliamentary seat.