Four BJP leaders largely responsible for his defeat: Allahabad Parliamentary candidate Neeraj Tripathi tells party high command.

BJPs Allahabad parliamentary constituency candidate Neeraj Tripathi who lost against Congress’ Ujjwal Raman Singh has accused four BJP leader’s hand in his defeat.

Besides, the congress  candidate he had to fight four insiders who wield  much influence among the voters here, Neeraj has said in his complaint to the party high command.

BJP may have won the Phulpur seat but this victory was with a very thin margin.

At one point of time, Praveen Patel too appeared on the verge of loosing the battle of the ballot from this prestigious seat.

Call it last minute voter turn out or say, Praveen just managed to survive.

Interestingly, these two seats were BJP bastions.

A large number of ticket seekers were seen running to get party tickets from both these constituencies after two sitting MPs both ladies, Rita Bahuguna Joshi from Aalahabad parliamentary seat and Keshri Devi Patel from Phulpur were asked to sit by the party which prefered to hand over tickets to two relatively young persons.

Son of BJP stalwart late Kesari Nath Tripathi, Neeraj had entered the poll fray for the first time even though he grew up seeing his father in this field.

Two time Mayor Abhilasha Nandi wife of UP cabinet minister Nand Gopal Nandi was also a strong contender. But she too could not get the much coveted ticket from either of the two constituencies.

Although, there was no open rebellion and not a word spoken publicly by any ticket seeker who was denied but insiders say people made every effort to see  the defeat of Neeraj Tripathi. Inner resentment prevailed over the Phulpur seat ticket distribution also.

It is difficult to assess how much dent resentment had caused to these two seats but Neeraj Tripathi’s  complaint amply speaks the truth.

Interestingly, Rita Bahuguna Joshi was seen addressing 44 meetings in favour of Neeraj Tripathi.

However the presence of cabinet minister  Nand Gopal Gupta,former Mayor Abhilasha Gupta, former minister and MLA Siddharth Nath Singh, sitting Phulpur MP Keshri Devi Patel and former MLA Neelam Karvaria were seen in lesser role.