Minor siblings solicit votes for jailed father

Varanasi, Apr 20 (UNI) A Bharatiya Samaj Party candidate has roped in his minor children as his 'star pracharaks' in the Gangapur seat of this district even as political and film icons campaign for major parties in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

Punit (9) and Shivam (7) are soliciting votes for their father Sujit Singh Belwa, who is contesting the polls from behind the bars.

The candidate, a sharp-shooter, is presently facing trial in over 10 cases, but is making it tough for the ruling Samajwadi Party and Apna Dal-BJP alliance candidates in the Kurmi-caste dominated Gangapur seat.

The two brothers leave their home in Belwa village early along with mother Neelam only to solicit votes for their jailed father through the predominantly rural seat.

''Aapka ek vote humare papa ki zindagi bacha sakta hai dadi.

Humare papa ko unke dushman marwana chahte hain... ab aap logon ka vote hi unhe bacha sakta hai Your single vote is crucial for saving the life of my father, whose enemies are hell bent at killing him)'', the duo urge an elderly woman in Tonderpur village with folded hands.

Carrying the photographs of their father, the children promise the rural voters, ''Agar humare papa jeet gaye...to unse pehle hum apka saara adhoora kam karvayenge (If our father wins, before him we will work for completing all your pending works).'' The impact with voters is also prompt. ''They may be the sons of a criminal, but their appeal has melted our hearts and forced us to rethink about Sujit Belwa,'' said Jugnu Patel, a hardcore Apna Dal supporter from Rajtalab area of the constituency.

Even the party president Om Prakash Rajbhar is all in praise for the two little star campaigners. ''They represent the future of our country and their support will see us through in Gangapur.'' The opponents of Sujit Belwa, however, say they are not unnerved by this development. ''Chunav ladna aur jitna koi bachchon ke khel nahi... janta apradhi ko dhool chata degi (winning elections is not child's play and the voters will defeat the candidate with a criminal background,'' said Anugrah Singh, an SP supporter.

But the two kids are hardly influenced by such comments. ''We have lost sleep, hunger and thirst alongwith our mother. The only thing we know now is to ensure victory of our father,'' quipped Punit and Shivam.

The party supporters inspired by their unwavering efforts have termed the two siblings as 'sher bachcha' (lion kids). The two siblings were the star atttraction and drew maximum attention of the crowd while soliciting support for father with folded hands from the stage shared among others by party president Om Prakash Rajbhar.

The other candidates in fray from Gangapur include sitting SP MLA and UP minister Surendra Patel, Neelratan Patel (Apna Dal), Deovrat Sharma (BSP) and an eununch Wasir alias Kamla kinnar from Rashtriya Ekta Party.

UNI