Akhilesh offers nomination to BJP MLA who was replaced with Yogi in Gorakhpur

Agarwal has been the MLA from Gorakhpur Urban seat since 2002

In a strategic move aimed at cornering Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in the latter's bastion of Gorakhpur, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday offered his party ticket to Dr Radhamohan Das Agarwal, the sitting MLA from Gorakhpur City assembly seat who was denied re-nomination and was replaced with Adityanath in the forthcoming assembly polls in the state.

''Radhamohan Das is welcome to join our party....we will nominate him from the same seat,'' Akhilesh told reporters.

Akhilesh's offer to Agarwal, who is a four-time MLA from the seat, has come amid reports of differences between Agarwal and Adityanath, though the former had supported the latter's candidature from the seat.

Also read: Yogi Adityanath 2nd UP Chief Minister to contest from Gorakhpur district

Agarwal, who at one time was a close confidante of Adityanath, had of late turned critical of his government. He had earlier accused his own government of being 'casteist', an allegation often leveled by the opposition parties.

Gorakhpur BJP MP Ravi Kishan had even asked Agarwal to resign, while the BJP leadership had served a show cause notice to him seeking an explanation over his remarks.

Agarwal has not so far reacted to the offer by Akhilesh.

Adityanath, who was earlier tipped to contest from either Ayodhya or Mathura, was suddenly nominated from the safer seat of Gorakhpur City, which has been its stronghold since 1967.

Sources in the SP said that Akhilesh had offered nomination to Agarwal as the latter was quite popular in the constituency. ''It will become a tough fight if he (Agarwal) decides to contest on our symbol,'' said a senior SP leader.

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