UP Election 2022: BJP lodges complaint with EC over attack on S P Singh Baghel by 'SP goons'

Lucknow, Feb 16: A BJP delegation comprising of Union Minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur lodged a complaint with Election Commission in Lucknow against the attack by Samajwadi Party 'goons' on S P Singh Baghel, BJP's candidate against Akhilesh Yadav.

"They showed their reality once again. I think Akhilesh Yadav is perturbed after SP Singh Baghel was fielded against him. He (Baghel) was attacked. Union Minister Anurag Thakur has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission about it," said Union Minister Piyush Goyal.

"The mafia raj and criminal activities that UP saw before 2017, it created an environment of fear. It never let UP become a developed state. It stayed a BIMARU state. People were subjected to atrocities, it was the calling card of SP," Goyal added.

The BJP has alleged that Akhilesh Yadav got Baghel and other BJP leaders attacked by "his pet goons" out of the fear of being defeated at his stronghold Karhal.

Meanwhile, BJP candidate SP Singh Baghel has been given Z-category security from Karhal, the 'hotseat' of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

On Tuesday, a case of stone pelting and attack on the convoy of Union Minister Professor SP Singh Baghel came to light.

"With the attack, you have ensured your defeat. Is this the new Samajwadi Party? Will you get those contesting against you attacked?" Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya tweeted.

BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh also slammed the Samajwadi Party.

"The attack on BJP candidate Baghel Ji shows that Akhilesh (Yadav) is going to taste defeat. The victory in elections is ensured due to blessings of the people and not by the terror of goons," Singh tweeted.

Karhal will go to the polls in the third phase on February 20.

Karhal has been an SP stronghold and the party had won the seat in the past three assembly polls in 2007, 2012 and 2017. BJP had won the seat in 2002.

The constituency has a sizable presence of Yadav voters, a traditional vote bank of the SP.