Two sitting BSP MLAs in JD(U) list

The party has fielded Markandey Tiwari in Pathardeva against BJP state president Surya Pratap Shahi. Tiwari had been BJP in-charge of Gorakhpur region and recently joined JD(U).

Former BJP MLA Brijraj Tripathi has been given ticket for Bahraich. Former Congress MLA Hardev Ram has been fielded from Belthara Road (reserved). Former BJP spokesperson Ratnesh Maurya would contest from Sawayazpur. Former BJP leader and Nagarpalika Parishad chairman Vijay Chaudhary would contest on JD(U) symbol from Orai (reserved).

Former UP Congress state vice-president Shailendra Singh would contest from Kushinagar.

JD(U) state president Suresh Niranjan said the party will field candidates on 403 Assembly constituencies. “Janwadi Party has approached us for a pre-poll alliance but the decision on this issue has yet to be taken,” Niranjan said.

He said party’s national president Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar would campaign across UP for party candidates.

118 coin packets seized from ex-BSP MLA’s car

Muzaffarnagar police on Saturday seized 118 packets,each containing around 100 coins of one and two rupee denominations,from the car of former BSP MLA Shahnawaz Rana who recently joined the Rashtriya Lok Dal.

Police seized the money near Janshath police station while Rana was coming from Meerut and was headed for Bijnor.

SSP Muzaffarnagar Praveen Kumar said Rana was travelling in a car which had hooter fitted on it,despite the model code of conduct being in force. Kumar said when police tried to search the car legislator misbehaved with the policemen and threatened them and left the place after sitting in another car which followed him.

He said an FIR has been lodged against Rana for disrupting government work and misbehaving with the policemen. Rana was not available for his comments.