BJP-SP workers clash in Mainpuri, 2 hurt; SP’s Budaun candidate sits on ‘dharna’ | India News

Akhilesh, Dimple claim local officials ‘stopped supporters’, ‘allowed slow polling’
AGRA/BAREILLY: Barring minor incident of a ruckus between BJP and SP workers and allegations of slow voting and confrontation with local police, the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in the Mulayam belt of UP passed off peacefully on Tuesday. In Mainpuri, a ruckus broke out between BJP and SP workers at booth number 176 in Tejganj of Kishni assembly segment under Bewar police limits, injuring two workers of the ruling party.
It started at Tejganj polling booth when BJP agent Sudesh Chauhan alleged that SP workers were trying to rig polls. Chauhan and his associate Karan Bahadur Singh were subsequently “attacked” allegedly by SP men and they sustained injuries on the face. SHO of Bewar, MS Bhati, said, “We’re waiting for a complaint to be filed. A separate investigation is being conducted and action will be taken accordingly.”
In another incident, BJP worker Prem Singh Shakya and three aides were allegedly attacked by “bike-borne masked men” when they were on their way to a polling booth in Mainpuri. Shakya told TOI that attackers were raising slogans in favour of SP. Shakya’s car driver Shivam Pal was injured. An FIR was registered under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) against six unidentified persons at Kishni police station.
Local functionaries of SP, meanwhile, claimed “their people were targeted and prevented from reaching polling booths in Sambhal, Budaun and Bareilly”. Party’s Mainpuri candidate Dimple Yadav blamed local officials for “slow polling” in Mainpuri constituency. “Due to high temperature and misbehaviour of some officials, people came out in fewer numbers in the morning, but SP workers stood by our people and voting percentage picked up during the day,” said Dimple. An SP poll agent was allegedly manhandled in Karhal, a video of which was widely shared.
In Budaun, senior leader Shivpal Yadav’s son and party candidate Aditya Yadav sat on a ‘dharna’ against police near Shahbazpur polling station in Sahaswan, alleging “cops were pouring water on their agents’ bags with polling slips”. “Voters with ID proofs and polling slips were not allowed inside the booths. Similar issues were noticed in other parts of the constituency… Polling at many booths in Bilsi started only at 10.30am,” Aditya said.
A few incidents were reported from Sambhal where people were thrashed by police, alleged SP functionaries. In one incident, SP candidate Zia Ur Rahman Barq along with father Mamluk Ur Rahman Barq and ex-district president Feroz Khan rushed to a polling station at MGM college where they had a heated argument with police. Feroz Khan didn’t have a pass and was detained which resulted in a scuffle between party workers and local cops.
In Agra, district administration ordered legal action against Rameshwar Singh, Independent candidate from Fatehpur Sikri seat. Singh, son of BJP MLA Chaudhary Babulal, posted a video of him casting vote on social media. There were poll boycotts over lack of development work in a few villages in Hathras. Voting in Bareilly and Aonla were held smoothly, officials said.
SP sent several complaints to the Election Commission during the day. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “We received information since morning that people were abused by police and not allowed to reach the booths.”