UP polls: Swami Prasad Maurya's convoy attacked during election campaign

On the last day of campaigning for the sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, BJP and SP workers clashed as Maurya and BJP’s Fazilnagar candidate Surendra Singh Kushwaha came face-to-face.

Lucknow: Swami Prasad Maurya, former minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government who recently switched over to the Samajwadi Party (SP), on Tuesday alleged that his convoy was attacked by the BJP workers during a roadshow in Kushinagar.

On the last day of campaigning for the sixth phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, BJP and SP workers clashed as the convoy of Maurya and BJP’s Fazilnagar candidate Surendra Singh Kushwaha came face-to-face. Supporters from both the sides got aggressive, leading to stone-pelting, in which several vehicles were damaged. Maurya later sat on a dharna demanding action against BJP supporters and raised slogan against the Police administration. The BJP workers, too, blocked the road at Nuniapatti intersection of Turkpatti police station area.

Speaking to the media after the attack, Maurya said, "BJP workers attacked my convoy in a pre planned manner. They had hired goons from Bihar for pelting stones at my convoy. They were equipped with rods, sticks and stones. My car was damaged and my driver suffered injuries to his ear. Many cars in the roadshow were damaged. Many workers were also beaten up.”

Sanghmitra, Maurya's daughter and BJP MP, also alleged that she was stopped by BJP workers while she was on her way to see her father after receiving the news of the attack. “As I rushed to see my father after the attack in Kushinagar, I was stopped in the market area. I was able to move out only after five vehicles of the police force came to my rescue. The BJP workers stopped me, despite knowing that I am an MP of the party. This is why I urge sisters and daughters of Fazilnagar to give their support to Swami this time.”