Meerut – Following the disappointing performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, internal discord has erupted among the party’s leaders. The rift is particularly evident between two prominent figures, former Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan and ex-MLA Sangeet Som, who have been exchanging accusations.
On Monday, Sanjeev Balyan accused Sangeet Som of openly supporting the Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate during the elections. In a swift rebuttal, Som addressed the media today, urging Balyan to bring his grievances to the party forum instead of airing them publicly. Som went further, issuing a press note filled with severe allegations against Balyan.
“I also lost the election in 2022, but I never blamed anyone publicly for my defeat,” Sangeet Som stated. He emphasized that Balyan should present his concerns within the party forum, where he and others would also voice their perspectives. “Even if Balyan subtly labels me as the party’s ‘Shikhandi’ or ‘Vibhishan,’ my upbringing doesn’t allow me to call anyone such names,” he added.
Addressing Balyan’s accusations specifically, Som challenged him to explain why he lost in Soram village in Budhana, which is considered Balyan’s stronghold, if he believed that Som was responsible for his loss in the Sardhana Assembly segment. Som asserted that Balyan did not suffer any significant vote loss from the Sardhana booth. Instead, he attributed the defeat to lower voter turnout among Hindus, the division of Hindu votes, and higher voting rates in Muslim-dominated areas. He mentioned that senior party leaders are currently deliberating on these factors.
Furthermore, Som criticized the alliance with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), suggesting that it harmed the BJP. “Even in constituencies where the BJP has historically been victorious, our candidates lost,” he remarked, indicating that the partnership with RLD might have backfired.
As the BJP leaders continue to point fingers, the party faces a challenging period of introspection and strategizing to recover from the recent electoral setbacks.
