BJP leader lends support to Varun Gandhi

Bareilly/New Delhi, Mar 28 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalraj Mishra here today said that he would be heading to Pilibhit to give party's support to Varun Gandhi.

"Varun Gandhi is a candidate of the BJP. And party would try its best to make him win at every stage. We would be standing with him at every stage. We will try our best that we don't violate the election code of conduct, " said Mishra, who is the election-in-charge of Uttar Pradesh BJP and former party president.

BJP had earlier said that it would retain Varun as a candidate in the coming general election, defying an Election Commission advice.

Meanwhile, Union Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal in New Delhi blamed BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani for being behind the entire episode and termed Varun's surrender as party's drama.

"This is again a drama being enacted by Varun. I am sure that the silent Advani is completely in tune with what is happening because without his consent this would not happen. He could have had easily stopped it. He wants this drama to continue. But I am sorry to say that this would impact his own image as a leader of the country because I don't think the Hindus of this country like this kind of politics being played," said Sibal.

Earlier in the day, Varun, who moved a surrender plea in Pilibhit's local court, has been sent to two-day judicial custody.

The application, which was moved by his lawyers before Chief Judicial Magistrate Vipin Kumar, will be taken up on Monday.

Speaking with journalists outside the Pilibhit court, Varun said: "I am ready to go to jail. I am victim of political conspiracy."

On Friday, Varun withdrew his anticipatory bail application from the Delhi High Court. The court had granted him anticipatory bail on March 20.

Varun took the decision to withdraw the bail application after the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday rejected his petition seeking quashing of two FIRs registered against him for his speeches in Pilibhit on March 7 and 8.

He was accused of making inflammatory communal remarks at election meetings in his constituency on March 6.

The Election Commission issued a notice to Varun, charging him of violating the Model Code of Conduct for elections by making communal remarks.

Following the Election Commission notice, the Pilibhit police filed an FIR under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act. (ANI)