Kalraj asked to take on adamant Tripathi

Mishra flanked by a nucleus of state BJP and Union Surface Transport Minister Rajnath Singh filed his nomination at party office this afternoon, while Tripathi came with a few of his supporters. “The party workers are with me…what have I to do with big names,” said Tripathi when he was told that Mishra was flanked by almost all the major names in the state BJP.

“Had I not filed nomination, morale of the party workers would have gonedown further. They are my strength. There is no question of mine losing the battle,” claimed Tripathi.

Expressing his concern over the need for a contest Kalraj said, “Filing of nomination is the right of every party worker but there should not be any contest for such posts because this sends a wrong message among the masses. The party leadership asked me to file the nomination and like a disciplined soldier, I obeyed.”

Multiple nominations are a serious jolt to the BJP leadership which isalready finding ways to buttress its dwindling support base in Uttar Pradesh and this was why the party’s central leadership was serious to avoid a contest for the post of the state BJP chief.

Veteran leader and in charge of UP affairs K.N. Govindacharya was sent twice to the state capital to persuade Tripathi to withdraw from the race but failed.

Senior party leaders, however, have taken a strong objection to Kalraj’s filing nomination. “If the leadership wanted an upper caste for the post, why Tripathi, who is also a devoted party worker, was not allowed. This is double stanadard of the leadership,” claimed a senior leader on condition of anonymity.