Uttar Pradesh Zila Panchayat chairman elections: BJP to win 17 seats unopposed as no other candidate files nomination papers

File Photo

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is going to win 17 seats unopposed in the elections of the Uttar Pradesh Zila Panchayat chairpersons. The BJP candidates for the Zila Panchayat chairman post are all set to be declared winners unopposed as no other candidate filed nomination papers. The deadline for filing nominations ended on Saturday evening.

The Samajwadi Party (SP), in a reaction, has sacked presidents of 11 districts, mostly the ones where the BJP candidate has been elected unopposed.

The move is being seen as an attempt to send out a stern message to the party leaders and cadre that the party means business.

The SP state President Naresh Uttam Patel, late on Saturday evening announced that district presidents of the party units in Gorakhpur, Moradabad, Jhansi, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Mau, Balrampur, Shravasti, Bhadohi, Gonda and Lalitpur have been removed from their post on the directions of the national president Akhilesh Yadav.

No reason was, however, cited in the letter issued by the party, announcing the removal of the district presidents with immediate effect.

The Samajwadi Party has also sacked one Sachin Yadav from the party for six years for indulging in anti-party activities in Farrukhabad and issued a stern warning to all party cadres that any move which happens to be against the interest of the party will be dealt with in a similar manner.

In the political circles, the move is being seen as an attempt by the party leadership to ask office bearers to adopt result-oriented strategies and make the party`s presence felt in the democratic process of the state.

Party sources said there were reports that in some of the districts where action had been initiated, SP candidates were unable to file their nominations owing to issues like incomplete documentation despite the district presidents having assured the party-state chief that everything was in place.

"However, these are merely allegations which are being verified and appropriate action would be initiated against anyone found guilty," said a senior SP leader.

The counting in the remaining seats where the number of candidates is more than one will be held on July 3.