BJP MLA embarrasses his own party, says officials working for BJP in local-body elections

Narayan Tripathi, a four-time MLA from Maihar in Satna, alleged that while touring parts of his own constituency, he came across many officials cutting across ranks “campaigning for a particular party”. 

In an embarrassment for the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, one of its own MLAs said the ruling party used the entire government machinery to ensure favourable outcome in the civic body elections that concluded on Wednesday.

Narayan Tripathi, a four-time MLA from Maihar in Satna, alleged that while touring parts of his own constituency, he came across many officials cutting across ranks “campaigning for a particular party”. “The officials were working to garner votes for the BJP. I am a BJP MLA and not against it but I feel anguished and disturbed when I see such kind of occurrences. In this country today, a (State) government can be brought down in two minutes and now, this is happening in local body polls also,” said Mr Tripathi.

The Opposition Congress said such allegations made by a BJP leader showed that elections were not conducted in a democratic manner. “What is the point of holding elections when the police and the administration are contesting? A BJP MLA is making these allegations and not us. There were several attempts to suppress and buy our candidates at the Zila Parishad-level and BJP members everywhere are winning because of the police and administration,” said State Congress president Kamal Nath during the press conference held for Opposition parties' Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Thursday.

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also tweeted that Mr. Tripathi had exposed the pain inflicted on thousands who contested these elections adding that the returning officers had strangled democracy.

The BJP brushed aside the allegations. The party State media in-charge Lokendra Parashar said Mr. Tripathi had developed a “habit of opening his mouth on every issue” and nobody took him seriously.

The legislator has a history of switching political loyalties in the past. He debuted in the Assembly after winning as a Samjawadi Party candidate in 2003 and then joined the Congress before jumping ship again to the BJP.