UP: BJP likely to give Muzaffarnagar riots accused Lok Sabha tickets

The Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP is keen on fielding four BJP MLAs, who are accused in the Muzaffarnagar riots, as Lok Sabha candidates. [caption id=“attachment_1427455” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  BJP leader Sangeet Som. PTI[/caption] While the Central committee is yet to clear their candidature, BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh are of the opinion that fielding them will consolidate the Hindu vote in the region, overriding caste divisions , The Indian Express reported. Leaders want to field Kairana MLA Hukum Singh from the Kairana Lok Sabha seat, Bijnore MLA Bhartendu Singh from Bijnore, Sardhana MLA Sangeet Som from Muzaffarnagar seat, and Thana Bhawan MLA Suresh Rana from Saharanpur. In November last year, undeterred by criticism from rival political parties, the BJP felicitated Sangeet Som and MLA Suresh Rana, who have been accused of inciting communal violence in Muzaffarnagar. They were felicitated by BJP President Rajnath Singh. The BJP had then also defended their MLAs with party leader Kalraj Mishra saying, “Our leaders were charged under the National Security  Act to defame them in the Muzaffarnagar riots case. But the court had held these charges to be baseless. They are our leaders and we will certainly honour them in our rallies.” Sources have told the Indian Express that while many within the party were opposed to giving Bhartendu Singh a Lok Sabha ticket, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who has much clout within the BJP, has backed his candidature. Singh was detained in connection with the riots and is also the leader of the party in the state Assembly. The BJP is looking at winning big in Uttar Pradesh, a state that sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha and could be make or break for the NDA in the 16th Lok Sabha.