‘Jugul Kishore got wealthy by changing candidates’

“When BSP fared poorly in the elections, party workers complained about Kishore’s activities to Behenji. She was also told the same by state president Ram Achal Rajbhar. Following this, Kishore was removed from all responsibilities in UP,” Maurya said.

He added: “When Kishore joined the BSP, he used to travel on a bicycle… the party have him money to file nomination papers when he was elected an MLC. While in the party, he has created properties worth crores in Lucknow and Lakhimpur. Workers have asked me to tell Behenji to get a probe conducted into his assets after BSP comes to power,” he said.

Maurya also claimed that Kishore’s illegal businesses are being run with the money of former BSP leader and jailed NRHM scam accused Babu Singh Kushwaha. He, however, refused to demand an immediate inquiry into Kishore’s assets.

“Kishore has started speaking the language of BSP’s adversaries and is likely to join the BJP… The BSP can anytime take disciplinary action against him but it will not do something that will the pave way for his entry to other parties,” said Maurya. Kishore’s tenure as MP ends on July 4, 2016.

Asked about party MLA Bala Prasad Awasthi’s allegation that he was asked to pay money by the BSP leadership, Maurya said the MLA has got his son inducted in the BJP and was thus speaking its language.

Rise and fall of Jugul Kishore

BSP MP Jugul Kishore — who has alleged that he was sidelined in the party when he objected to the practice of taking money for distributing tickets and was asked to pay Rs 50 lakh for a ticket for his son — was one of the most influential zonal coordinators in BSP until the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. He was responsible for managing party affairs in four divisions of eastern UP. Though he claims that he founded the BSP with Kanshi Ram, those who worked with him say he joined BSP in 1995. Educated up to Class XII, Kishore, a Dalit, started his political career in 1988 as the pradhan of his village, Churai Purwa in Kheri. A former BSP leader said Kishore had earlier been in Janata Dal. After joining the BSP, he unsuccessfully contested 1996 Assembly elections from Mohammadi.

In 1997, he was appointed the BSP district president of Kheri. In 2004, he was appointed in-charge of Shahabad Lok Sabha seat for 2004 elections. BSP won the seat and Kishore was promoted as Allahabad division coordinator. He was elected an MLC in 2006 when he declared assets of Rs 11.75 lakh, a Bolero Jeep and a motorcycle. His rise started after BSP came to power in 2007. “He grew very influential as a coordinator. There were a large number of old party workers whom he got expelled,” said a leader, who joined the SP last year. Kishore also got elected as vice-chairman of Cooperative Land Development Bank in 2008.

In 2010, he was sent to Rajya Sabha. This time, he declared assets worth Rs 90 lakh. His Bolero Jeep was replaced by a Toyota Innova. Three guns were added to his assets. His current residence in Lucknow is a palatial bungalow. Kishore’s wife Damyanti was elected zila panchayat chairperson in 2010. His son Saurabh Singh Sonu contested the Assembly election from Kasta in 2012 but lost. Sonu’s name was also linked to the murder of a sub-inspector in Kheri in 2009, but no case was lodged.

Kishore’s troubles started after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when the BSP drew a blank. Along with several other coordinators, he was removed. “Those who had been sidelined at Kishore’s behest earlier returned to the mainstream and he was not given any important responsibility for a long time,” said a BSP leader.