JOIN USBJP MP Varun Gandhi is conspicuous by his absence in the Uttar Pradesh polls. His cold war with party chief Amit Shah has left him out of the list of star campaigners yet again.
Varun has not visited his own Lok Sabha constituency of Sultanpur after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, despite figuring in the party’s second list of campaigners for the third and fourth phase of polling; his constituency goes to polls on Monday.
In a move that has caused great embarrassment to the party, Varun delivered a lecture in Indore on Tuesday, where he questioned the Modi government’s outreach to farmers. He said the farmers continue to commit suicide.
He also criticised the government’s inability to do something substantial about absconding loan defaulter Vijay Mallya.
Party sources said the BJP was so upset that party general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal contacted him to tell him that his outburst has invited the displeasure of the party top brass.
The growing unease with Varun was reflected in the latest list of star campaigners, where he was replaced by Union Minister Manoj Sinha to canvas for party candidates in the sixth and seventh phase of polling, which are scheduled to be held on March 4 and 8, respectively, in the eastern part of the state.
Varun has been sulking ever since the party decided against projecting him as the chief ministerial candidate, despite figuring in the BJP’s internal survey last year to find out who would be best suited for the top post.
Later, the BJP snubbed him after a poster showing him as the party’s chief ministerial candidate surfaced in Allahabad during the national executive meeting.