BJP MP's 'shoe attack' on party legislator in UP

The BJP was left red-faced after one of its Lok Sabha members thrashed a party legislator in the midst of an official meeting in which a large number of members of local bodies and a senior state minister were present in Uttar Pradesh's Sant Kabir Nagar district, about 225 kilometres from here, on Wednesday.

BJP MP from Sant Kabir Nagar Sharad Tripathi was said to be angry over the exclusion of his name from the foundation stones of some projects in the district.

Tripathi sought an explanation from an official during the meeting of the district planning committee in Sant Kabir Nagar town, which was chaired by senior UP minister Ashutosh Tandon.

BJP MLA Rakesh Singh Baghel, who was also there, objected to the query by the MP and asked the latter to discuss the matter with him and not with the official leading to an exchange of expletives between the two.

Tripathi suddenly took off one of his shoes and started hitting Baghel even as officials and others watched in shock.

A video, that went viral on the social networking sites, showed Tripathi hitting Baghel with his shoe repeatedly. Baghel was also seen slapping the MP.

A police officer managed to separate the warring public representatives.

While the meeting was cancelled after the brawl, the MP was escorted out with the help of the police as angry supporters of the MLA laid siege to the building demanding the arrest of the MP.