Shiv Sena says Naresh Agrawal's induction in BJP responsible for reverses in UP

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut today claimed that the BJP had suffered reverses in by-polls in two parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh because of SP leader Naresh Agrawal's induction into the saffron party.

I don't consider that the SP-BSP tie-up has worked I believe that Lord Ram was angry with you (BJP) the day you (BJP) rolled out the red carpet for the SP leader, who has criticised Lord Ram, he said.

In the prestigious Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP's Upendra Dutt Shukla was trailing behind Praveen Nishad of the SP.

In Phulpur, SP candidate Nagendra Pratap Singh Patel had raced ahead of his nearest BJP rival.

The election to the two constituencies was held on March 11. A day later, Agrawal quit the SP to join the BJP after he lost out to actor-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan in the race for re-nomination to the upper house.

The by-polls were necessitated after Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya vacated the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats respectively, following their election to the state legislative council.