'Vote for me or face divine displeasure,' says BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj; police book him for 'undue influence at elections'

Unnao (Uttar Pradesh): BJP Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj on Friday told people that if they do not vote for him, they will face divine displeasure, prompting the police to lodge an FIR against the priest-turned-politician.

“If you ensure my victory, I will work for you, otherwise do ‘bhajan-kirtan’ in temple,” he said at an election meeting at Sheshpur village in Sihramau area. “I am a ‘sanyasi’. When a ‘sanyasi’ comes to your door and asks for ‘bhiksha’ (alms), and is not heard, he takes away all the happiness of the family and transfers his sins on to them,” he added. “I am quoting from sacred scriptures. I am not asking for money or land. I am here to seek votes with which fate of Indians will be changed,” he said. Taking a serious note of the controversial comments, city magistrate Rakesh Kumar Gupta said a case has been registered against the BJP MP at Sihramau police station under IPC Section 171C (undue influence at elections) and relevant sections of the Representation of People Act, 1951. Unnao will go to polls in the fourth phase on 29 April.